Chennai:

Union minister Amit Shah said today addressed the hot button issue of delimitation in southern states, saying it would not reduce the number of seats there even by one. “I want to reassure the people of South India that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has kept your interest in mind and will make sure that not even one seat is reduced. And whatever increase is there, southern states will get a fair share, there is no reason to doubt this,” he said, speaking at the inauguration of party offices in Coimbatore, Tiruvannamalai. 

His assurance came amid a massive meeting on delimitation and its effects called by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin. 

“Today a meeting will be held to ensure the South does not suffer on account of delimitation. The people in Tamil Nadu is disturbed. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and his son (Udhayanidhi Stalin) are trying to distract the public. Mr Stalin, the Modi government has made it clear in Lok Sabha that after delimitation, on pro rata basis, not a single seat will be reduced in any southern state,” Mr Shah added.

A slide in the number of parliamentary seats after population-based delimitation is a common concern in the southern states, where population control has been effective compared to the states in the northern Hindi belt.

South has been concerned that a lower number of seats will stifle their voice in parliament and will give North India an extra heft.

Over the last week, Tamil Nadu had been simmering over the issue of alleged “Hindi imposition” and delimitation. Mr Stalin had said the delimitation exercise will impact the southern states, especially Tamil Nadu because of their successful family planning programme.  Tamil Nadu, he has claimed, stands to lose 8 out of the 39 Lok Sabha seats.