Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin
Credit: PTI Photo
Chennai: Chief Ministers of Kerala, Telangana, and Punjab –- Pinarayi Vijayan, Revanth Reddy, and Bhagwat Mann -- will attend a meeting on the issue of Delimitation convened by their Tamil Nadu counterpart M K Stalin here on March 22, in what is seen as a major show of strength by the Opposition parties against the BJP.
Karnataka deputy chief minister D K Shivakumar will represent the state in the meeting, while West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, former Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and Naveen Patnaik, have deputed their party leaders. Andhra Pradesh’s ruling TDP, an ally of the BJP, won’t be represented at the meeting.
At the meeting, Stalin will explain how Southern states might lose their political representation in Lok Sabha, which stands at 130, if Delimitation which is due in 2026 was conducted solely on the basis of population and call for a joint response to the exercise. The meeting assumes significance since this is the first time that leaders of opposition parties from the I.N.D.I.A. bloc will meet after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in which they prevented the BJP from securing a majority on its own.
Not just I.N.D.I.A. bloc constituents, but the presence of YSRCP, BJD, and TRS, who had once supported the BJP in Rajya Sabha, in the meeting is significant. Stalin’s move is not just about raising the issue of Delimitation but sharpening his attack on the BJP with assembly elections in Tamil Nadu just a year away.
The meeting to be held at a luxurious five-star property in Guindy in the heart of the city will also be attended by leaders from political parties like Congress, CPI-M, CPI, and BRS, from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Kerala.
“This is the first time that four CMs and one deputy CM are assembling in one place to discuss the issue and take forward their opposition to Delimitation on the basis of population. The meeting will not just chalk out future strategies on exerting pressure on the Union Government,” a source in the know told DH.
A resolution is likely to be passed at the meeting seeking a categorical commitment from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue. Stalin has already demanded that the freeze on the number and state-wise distribution of seats in Lok Sabha be extended for another 30 years beyond 2026.
The meeting is also likely to press the Centre to ensure that their existing percentage of seats are not reduced under any circumstances. “The CM will outline his ideas and hear from his counterparts following which a resolution will be drafted and passed,” the source said, adding that a joint press briefing by the participants is likely.