4 min readLucknowUpdated: Apr 21, 2026 09:41 AM IST
After the Lok Sabha developments, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and Opposition parties — primarily the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress — are gearing up for another political confrontation, this time in Uttar Pradesh, over the contentious Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill.
The Yogi Adityanath-led government has outlined a series of moves aimed at putting the Opposition on the defensive: convening a special one-day session of the UP Assembly on April 30 focused on “women’s empowerment,” and launching a state-wide padyatra (foot march) beginning Tuesday.
In response, the Opposition is preparing to press the state government to formally send a proposal to the Centre seeking 33% reservation for women, “instead of doing politics” on the issue, it is learnt.
The proposal to convene the special session was cleared by the state Cabinet “by circulation” late Sunday night, and the government is planning to bring a “condemnation resolution”, sources said. Speaking to The Indian Express, Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana said, “A special one-day session is being convened wherein the legislators will discuss issues related to women empowerment.”
Adityanath on Tuesday will launch the state-wide padyatra from Lucknow, positioning women’s reservation as a matter of right for “aadhi abaadi (half the population)”, officials said. He will lead the march from his official residence to the Vidhan Sabha, in which members of the state Cabinet are also expected to participate, they added.
A series of programmes will be held at the block and district levels as part of the campaign, aimed at mobilising public support. “The idea is to build it as a social movement beyond politics. Women’s groups, self-help groups and civil society organisations will be mobilised to reach out to villages as well as urban centres,” said a BJP functionary.
The campaign will include rallies, public meetings and door-to-door contact programmes, to underline that women’s empowerment remains a key priority of the government, sources said.
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When contacted, Congress Legislature Party leader Aradhana Mishra said, “While we are yet to get the notification, it is good that the government finally thought of women empowerment. It will be great if the UP Assembly passes a resolution recommending 33% reservation for women and sends it to the Centre. Everyone will support it.”
“Everyone knows their true intentions now. It took them two and a half years to come to this stage, while the Congress had already given 40% reservation to women in distribution of tickets in the 2022 Assembly polls. We have already shown the step towards women empowerment,” she added.
The BJP, sources said, is also preparing to come up with a list of steps taken for women empowerment by the government both at the Centre and the state, some which were listed by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday.
The Opposition, on the other hand, is preparing to counter and corner the government on issues related to women empowerment by highlighting the steps taken for women empowerment during the previous regime.
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The ruling party is also set to target the Congress and the Samajwadi Party over the issue outside the Assembly through a series of protests led by its women leaders and workers across all districts, it was learnt.
Instructions have been issued to BJP’s all district units to organise marches led by women leaders and workers on Tuesday, calling the two Opposition parties “mahila virodhi” (anti-women), sources added.
