The southern Indian states are rallying together to oppose the proposed delimitation exercise, which they fear could undermine their political representation. The issue has sparked a heated debate, with leaders like Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy leading the charge. The southern states argue that the delimitation, based on population, would unfairly reduce their parliamentary seats, giving an advantage to the more populous northern states.
Delimitation, the process of redrawing electoral constituencies, is a contentious topic. Southern states, which have effectively controlled population growth, fear losing seats in Parliament if the exercise is carried out. Tamil Nadu’s Stalin has been particularly vocal, organizing an all-party meeting on March 5 to unite southern leaders against the move. He has also written to other southern Chief Ministers, proposing a joint meeting in Chennai on March 22 to strategize and present a united front.
While supportive of the southern cause, Telangana’s CM has taken a cautious approach. His government has criticized the Centre for neglecting Telangana’s development demands, including funds for key projects like the Hyderabad Metro expansion and regional ring roads. He accused the BJP-led central government of favouring northern states, a sentiment echoed by other southern leaders.
The southern resistance has put the BJP in a tight spot. While the party has tried to downplay the issue, calling it a routine process, southern leaders see it as a threat to their political clout. The BJP’s attempts to expand its footprint in the south have faced setbacks, with regional parties like the DMK in Tamil Nadu and Congress in Telangana firmly holding ground.
Stalin’s efforts to unite southern states have gained momentum, with leaders from Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh expressing solidarity. The southern bloc is also reaching out to like-minded parties in other regions, including West Bengal and Punjab, to build a broader coalition against delimitation.
Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu spoke about delimitation, saying it is different from population control. He explained that delimitation happens every 25 years and asked people not to make assumptions without proper details. He also said India has a strong population advantage and should manage it wisely, like other countries facing ageing issues, such as Japan and European nations.
Chandrababu mentioned that his views on family planning have changed. Now, he supports policies that encourage population growth in places with ageing problems. He suggested that the Finance Commission and the government should reward states that increase their population instead of punishing those with ageing issues. He also responded to Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin’s concerns, saying that all opinions will be considered in the delimitation discussions.
