As the Centre signals its intention to reintroduce the delimitation bill, linking it to the implementation of women's reservation, the issue has once again become a major political flashpoint in Tamil Nadu. Amid speculation that the DMK had softened its position on the legislation, raising concerns within the INDIA bloc, Udhayanidhi Stalin told India Today that the party has opposed delimitation from the outset and would continue to do so.
With differing views emerging on the issue, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay has convened a meeting of the state's MPs to discuss the proposed delimitation exercise. Until now, the DMK had not taken an aggressive public stand on the bill despite reports of its possible revival, leading to unease among opposition parties, particularly the Congress.
In an apparent swipe at the DMK, Rahul Gandhi referred to supporters of the bill as "21st-century Ettappans", invoking the Tamil term often used to describe a traitor.
DMK REAFFIRMS ITS STAND
A united opposition had defeated the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill in April, which proposed lifting the freeze on increasing the number of Lok Sabha seats.
Since then, political equations have changed considerably. The DMK exited the INDIA bloc at the national level after the Congress backed Vijay's TVK in Tamil Nadu. Earlier, DMK chief MK Stalin had symbolically protested the bill by burning a copy of it.
The proposed delimitation bill seeks to redraw parliamentary constituencies based on the 2011 Census and increase the total number of Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 850.
Clarifying the party's position, Udhayanidhi Stalin said, "The DMK has always opposed delimitation. We will continue to oppose it in the future."
"This is not a new issue. The Centre is presenting it as if it has surfaced for the first time," the Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Assembly told India Today.
His remarks came shortly after a report in The Hindu claimed that the DMK could support the bill if three key changes were incorporated. With 22 Lok Sabha MPs and eight Rajya Sabha MPs, the DMK is the fifth-largest party in Parliament.
According to the report, the DMK wants the 1971 Census, rather than the 2011 Census, to remain the basis for delimitation for the next 25 years.
The party has also demanded a uniform 50% increase in Lok Sabha seats for every state, a proposal that it says was verbally assured by Union Home Minister Amit Shah when the bill was introduced in Parliament in April.
Additionally, the DMK wants the bill to include a state-wise list clearly specifying the number of Lok Sabha seats each state would receive after delimitation.
Udhayanidhi's clarification came against the backdrop of these reports.
WHY TAMIL NADU OPPOSES DELIMITATION
Political parties in Tamil Nadu and other southern states argue that linking delimitation to population would disproportionately benefit northern states, where population growth has been higher. Southern states, they contend, should not be penalised for their success in population control.
They fear the exercise would result in a comparatively smaller increase in parliamentary representation for the South while significantly boosting the political influence of northern states, many of which are strongholds of the BJP. They also argue that this could eventually affect the South's share in tax devolution.
The five southern states—Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana—together account for roughly 24% of India's population.
At present, Tamil Nadu has 39 Lok Sabha seats, representing about 7.2% of the House. If every state's representation were increased by 50%, as proposed by the DMK, Tamil Nadu's tally would rise to 59 seats.
WHY A UNIFORM INCREASE MAY NOT ADDRESS CONCERNS
Critics argue that even a uniform percentage increase would further strengthen the political influence of larger states.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor illustrated this through a salary analogy while responding to Andhra Pradesh MP Chandrababu Naidu on X.
He said that if someone earning Rs 2 lakh a month and another earning Rs 20,000 both receive a 50% salary hike, the percentage increase is the same, but the absolute difference becomes even larger.
Applying the same principle to Lok Sabha seats, Uttar Pradesh's representation would increase from 80 to 120 seats, while Kerala's would rise from 20 to 30. As a result, the gap between the two states would widen from 60 seats to 90.
CM VIJAY TO CONSULT TAMIL NADU MPs
Chief Minister Vijay is scheduled to meet MPs from Tamil Nadu on Saturday to discuss the proposed delimitation exercise and its implications for the state. Vijay has previously described the exercise as a "biased move" and has consistently opposed it.
Both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs from Tamil Nadu are expected to attend the meeting. The initiative received praise from Congress MP Manickam Tagore, who said it was the first time in over a decade that a Tamil Nadu Chief Minister had personally invited MPs from all political parties for consultations, setting aside political differences.
Tagore said all parties should unite so that Tamil Nadu speaks with one voice in Delhi against what he described as the BJP-led Centre's actions.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has already informed Union Minister Kiren Rijiju that the opposition does not accept the proposed delimitation bill.
The timing of the meeting is politically significant, as relations between the DMK and Vijay's TVK have recently deteriorated. The arrest of Udhayanidhi Stalin earlier this week over alleged vulgar remarks against actor Trisha, who is considered close to Vijay, has further intensified tensions.
With the DMK having the largest parliamentary representation from Tamil Nadu, the party is expected to play a key role in shaping the outcome of the discussions.
