For the passage of the delimitation bill, the government would need supporters beyond its NDA partners. However, many of these potential backers are vehemently opposed to the FCRA amendment bill.
The corridors of Parliament were abuzz on Wednesday afternoon with speculation over whether the government would push for the FCRA bill this week, or delay it to address the elephant in the room — the delimitation bill. While the government needs a simple majority for the passage of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill 2026, it is the constitutional amendment that could create a catch-22 situation for the ruling dispensation.
The BJP is believed to be reaching out to parties beyond the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for passage of the ambitious delimitation bill which would be packaged under the 131st Constitutional Amendment Bill. However, many of these parties such as the DMK, NCP-SP are up in arms against the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill 2026. Others, such as YSRCP, are treading cautiously.
India Today spoke to top sources across parties including NCP-SP, DMK, YSRCP and even the BJP allies as to how they are placed when it comes to the FCRA Bill.
One of the regional parties from the south pointed out their concerns over the FCRA bill in its present format. They are worried about the impact the amendment would have on institutions which cater to their core vote bank.
“We are still in consultation with the government. If they agree for our amendments, we might consider coming on board. Else, we will have to oppose it,” the source said.
When asked if they could choose to abstain, the response was, “Abstaining is not a choice for us. We will either vote against it or support it. This issue would impact our core voter base. It touches upon on a sensitive issue related to them.”
The Christian and minority voters form the core vote bank of this regional party. They fear the FCRA bill in its present form will trigger outrage amongst its core voters. While they are on-board with the government on the delimitation bill — provided the BJP is ready to give 50% increase in parliament seats — supporting the government on the FCRA seems unlikely.
The unease over the proposed changes is palpable, and the Centre is trying to allay it. Sources said a delegation of around 10 Catholic bishops and senior church leaders will meet Home Minister Amit Shah at 5.30 pm today to discuss concerns over the FCRA bill.
Sources within the NCP-SP and DMK made it clear that they oppose the bill in its present format and would want it to be referred to the joint parliamentary committee.
“This FCRA bill needs more deliberation. Why suspect every donor?” a top NCP-SP source told India Today.
“The charity money is also being used for our children. There is no reason to suspect everyone, every donor and every institute…There are good institutions who are working in educational sector, running hospitals and other important welfare sectors. By bringing this bill, everyone is being suspected,” the NCP-SP MP said.
When asked if the NCP-SP could support the delimitation bill, they asserted there was no way to come to a decision when the government hasn’t even shared a draft copy with lawmakers.
The DMK, which is at daggers drawn with the Congress post the Tamil Nadu polls, is also opposed to the FCRA bill. A senior leader told India Today that it could open the doors for “a witch-hunt of minority institutions”.
“This bill in present form will enable the targeting of minority institutions. It could open the gates for witch-hunt of educational institutions, charitable bodies and NGOs. There are clauses in this bill which would enable the government to attach properties owned by any institutes getting funds under the FCRA under dispute even if they have been bought in the past. You can’t allow that to happen,” the DMK leader said.
“The NGOs are doing a lot of good work. You can put them under ransom through these laws. If some changes are required, you can’t open doors to penalise everyone or anyone,” the DMK MP said. “We will ask for JPC. We don’t need further amendments to the bill.”
Another DMK leader told India Today, “We will move certain amendments. We have strong reservations on the present form of the bill. Regional parties from southern India have issues with several clauses of the bill. We can’t support it.”
It would also put parties like the DMK and YSRCP in a peculiar situation if they openly oppose the FCRA bill and then go on to side with the BJP on the delimitation bill. These optics are under consideration by them, the sources indicated.
Meanwhile, the INDIA bloc parties are preparing themselves for an entrenched fight over the FCRA in Parliament. Congress’s Rajya Sabha MP Syed Naseer Hussain told India Today that the party will oppose the FCRA bill for several reasons. His colleagues from Kerala pointed to how NGOs and religious organisations in the state will be affected by the proposed amendments. They said provisions allowing retrospective action against properties and granting sweeping powers to bureaucrats to act against institutions receiving FCRA funds were among their principal concerns.
A senior CPI(M) leader also argued that the powers proposed to be vested in bureaucrats under the bill were even broader than those under the Waqf amendments.
