Senior BJP leaders Ravi Shankar Prasad and Smriti Irani addresses a press conference at BJP headquarters in New Delhi on April 18, 2026. | Photo Credit: Sushil Kumar Verma The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday (April 18, 2026) accused the Congress of hypocrisy and prioritising political power over gender equality and women’s empowerment, claiming that the party and its allies celebrated the denial of 33% representation to women in Parliament. At a press conference, a day after the Constitution Amendment Bill proposing to increase the strength of the Lok Sabha and implement reservation for women was defeated, BJP leaders and former Union Ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad and Smriti Irani said the Congress had a “feudal” mindset and that its allies undermined equitable representation, particularly impacting southern States. Published – April 18, 2026 08:02 pm IST Share this: Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Click to share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window) Telegram Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email More Click to print (Opens in new window) Print Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Pocket Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon Click to share on Nextdoor (Opens in new window) Nextdoor Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky Like this:Like Loading... Post navigation Officials urged to enhance implementation of ‘Jaladhara-Jalaharathi’ initiative Marri Laxman Reddy elected as chairman of Medchal Malkajgiri Cycling Association