Meeting will focus on how states can resist population-based delimitation, and propose ways to conduct it without 'punishing' fiscally well-performing states
It appears that MK Stalin is not fighting a lone battle. The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister has been crying hoarse over the impending delimitation exercise, and he's now gaining political support from elsewhere in the country at a steady pace.
Three other chief ministers and a couple of senior political leaders from northern states have agreed to attend Stalin's all-party meeting on the delimitation exercise in Chennai on March 22. The meeting is expected to focus on how states can resist population-based delimitation, and propose alternative ways to conduct the exercise without 'punishing' fiscally well-performing states.
Who will attend?
According to DMK sources, among the chief ministers, Kerala's Pinarayi Vijayan, Telangana's A Revanth Reddy and Punjab's Bhagwant Mann have confirmed their participation. Representatives from the Biju Janata Dal in Odisha have also promised to be there.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar's participation plan has already stirred up a row. Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai has threatened a 'black flag protest' over the fact that Stalin has invited Karnataka for the meeting despite a bitter feud between the two states over the Mekedatu dam project.
Senior leaders from the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal and retired officials from various states, including EAS Sarma from Andhra Pradesh, will also attend. Invitations were sent to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who is part of the ruling NDA at the Centre, but he has not responded as yet.
Also read: As delimitation debate gains momentum in Karnataka, Congress faces a dilemma
Call for a movement
EAS Sarma, who has been advocating that chief ministers of southern states should join hands to assert federal rights, told The Federal: “The stark South-North imbalance will have serious consequences, politically as well as financially. I participated as a civil servant in the meetings of Opposition state chief ministers convened by NT Rama Rao in 1983. At that time, NTR strongly urged the Centre to revoke decisions that weakened state autonomy.
"The present NDA government is even more aggressive in its anti-federal stance than Indira Gandhi ever was in her time. This calls for a movement similar to the one initiated by NT Rama Rao.”
Sarma, a 1965 batch IAS officer who has been actively writing to many politicians, urging them to organise a meeting to find solutions, expressed his satisfaction at being invited to the all-party meeting hosted by the Tamil Nadu government.
Also read: How does delimitation matter to you? Why does it need to be debated?
Earlier resolution
At a state-level all-party meeting in Tamil Nadu on March 5, attended by nearly 40 political parties from within the state, participants unanimously urged the Union government to retain the existing number of Lok Sabha seats and uphold constitutional boundaries for 30 years beyond 2026.
A resolution adopted at the meeting stated that Tamil Nadu’s current 7.18 per cent share of Lok Sabha seats must not be reduced under any circumstances during the delimitation exercise.
Speaking at the meeting, Stalin said, “The 1971 Census should be the basis for delimitation of Lok Sabha seats for 30 years from 2026. We also demand an increase in the number of parliamentary seats and the necessary constitutional amendments to be made.”
He also remarked that “the sword of delimitation is hanging over the heads of southern states”.
Simmering resentment
In a conversation with The Federal, political analyst R Ilangovan emphasised that the March 22 meeting will be crucial to reconsider parliamentary representation and the allocation of funds to states by the Union government.
Also read: Will South lose political power with delimitation?
“The meeting organised by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin is significant because, except for NDA allies like Chandrababu Naidu of Andhra Pradesh and Nitish Kumar of Bihar, all other states are deeply dissatisfied with the way budget allocations have been made in recent years.
"The gap in fund distribution between BJP-ruled and non-BJP-ruled states is too wide. Voters in Andhra Pradesh may also regret choosing Chandrababu Naidu, as he has failed to strongly oppose delimitation. This meeting will send a strong message against population-based delimitation to the Central government,” said Ilangovan.
He further noted that Stalin’s fight for federal rights could very well strengthen his campaign for the 2026 TN Assembly polls. “From rejecting the New Education Policy (NEP) to demanding more funds for school education and now opposing delimitation, federal issues are increasingly becoming electoral issues in Tamil Nadu. The DMK’s fight for state autonomy has intensified under the NDA regime,” he observed.
Also read: DMK members walk out of Lok Sabha over delimitation
Alternative solution
TV Sekher, a senior scientist at the International Institute for Population Sciences, and other experts welcomed the all-party meeting on delimitation, stating that it provides a platform to explore alternative solutions.
Talking to The Federal, Sekher argued that delimitation should not be delayed further, as parliamentary representation needs to be expanded for better governance. Southern states are primarily worried about the flow of central funds, which must be reassured before proceeding with delimitation, he said.
“We need a balanced approach. In heavily populated states like Uttar Pradesh, how can we expect a single MP to effectively represent 30 lakh people? he asked. "In contrast, in states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala, one MP represents only 7-10 lakh people. Instead of reducing seats in southern states, their current number could be retained, while additional seats are allocated to northern states with a guarantee that funding for southern states will not be reduced.”
Also read | Has Vijay grasped delimitation’s impact? TVK stand does not suggest so
He also proposed an alternative solution – restructuring the composition of the Rajya Sabha, the Upper House of Parliament, which represents the interests of the state.
“Unlike the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha members are not directly elected by the public but chosen by state legislatures. Currently, Rajya Sabha seats are allocated based on population, with a maximum cap of 250 members. Compared to the Lok Sabha, the Rajya Sabha could serve as a more effective platform for addressing state-specific concerns,” Sekher suggested.
