Ranchi, June 16: The Congress and the BJP skipped the all-party meeting called by the JMM to find ways to put brakes on the Delimitation Commission’s proposal to reduce the seats reserved for tribals in the Parliament and the Assembly.

The All Jharkhand Students’ Union and the CPM also abstained from the meeting.

Terming the meeting a stunt to gain political mileage by exploiting the sentiment of tribals, BJP state unit president P.N. Singh said: “The meeting is not justified as chief minister Madhu Koda had convened an all-party meeting on the issue a few days ago.”

Claiming that the JMM does not have a real concern for the tribals, Singh said the remedy lies in amending the Constitution.

“For that, the MPs from Jharkhand will have to raise their voice in the Parliament. But they keep mum at the right platform and turn vociferous against the commission, which has been mandated by the law to redraw the boundaries of the constituencies,” Singh said.

Even as two of the major political parties in the state stayed away, deputy chief minister Sudhir Mahto, water resources minister Kamlesh Singh, Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (D) leader Theodore Kido and several JMM MLAs attended the meet presided over by JMM MP Hemlal Murmu.

Forward Bloc state chief Janardan Sharma and nominees of RJD, Jharkhand Party, CPI, Jharkhand Jan- adhikar Manch, Adivasi Chhatra Sangh and other social and political outfits were also present.

JMM central organisational secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya said a delegation would be sent to Delhi to persuade the Prime Minister, Union home minister and the law minister to bring a bill during the monsoon session of the Lok Sabha to amend the Constitution and stop implementation of the Delimitation Commission’s proposal.

The party has also decided to stage a dharna in front of the Raj Bhavan on June 25 urging the governor to reject the proposal using his power under the Constitution.