CM Stalin slams BJP’s ‘lip service,’ warns of fewer LS seats for Tamil Nadu in delimitation row
MK Stalin urged the 1971 census as the basis for the 2026 delimitation at an all-party meeting in Chennai. He accused the BJP-led central government of using Tamil for votes while pushing linguistic hegemony. He warned that population-based delimitation would reduce Tamil Nadu’s Lok Sabha seats.
Stalin said Tamil Nadu’s success in population control could backfire. He claimed that if the current 543 seats remain, Tamil Nadu could lose eight seats, reducing its MPs from 39 to 32. If Parliament expands to 848 seats, the state might gain 22 seats. However, if the allocation is solely population-based, it would get only 10 extra seats, losing 12 overall.
He called for a fair approach and demanded the use of the 1971 census data. He also proposed forming a Joint Action Committee of MPs and party representatives from southern states. Most Tamil parties attended the meeting, but the Tamil Nadu BJP skipped it.
Actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) joined Stalin in opposing population-based delimitation. The party warned it could reduce representation for southern states. TVK urged the government to focus on pressing issues like inflation and unemployment.
The party cited the 84th Constitutional Amendment, which froze parliamentary delimitation until 2026. It expressed concern over the lack of clarity on how the restructuring would happen. TVK called for transparency and fairness in the process.
