NEW DELHI: In the first Joint Action Committee (JAC) meeting of states convened by Tamil Nadu’s ruling DMK to oppose Centre’s proposed delimitation of parliamentary seats, CM MK Stalin on Saturday specified that the fight would likely extend to the legal domain.
Telangana CM Revanth Reddy echoed the concerns of fellow participants, he alleged that in case of population-based delimitation, “north will make us secondary citizens.”
Stalin, who launched the meeting, described it as a “historic day” for India’s federal structure.
In a post on X, he wrote, “Today (Saturday) will be etched in history as the day when states that have contributed to our nation’s development came together to safeguard its federal structure by ensuring #FairDelimitation.” He welcomed chief ministers and political leaders from Kerala, Telangana, Punjab, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh to the gathering in Chennai.
Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, addressing the meeting, likened the proposed delimitation to a “sword of Damocles” hanging over the states. He accused the BJP-led government of pushing the move without any consultation, saying, “This sudden move is not driven by constitutional principles or democratic imperatives,” but by narrow political interests.
He also pointed out that delimitation based on the census would lead to an increase in seats for northern states while reducing representation for the south, a shift that would benefit the BJP due to its stronger presence in the north.
During the discussions, Stalin proposed forming an expert panel, named the ‘Joint Action Committee for Fair Delimitation,’ to devise both political and legal strategies.
He stressed that the fight was not against delimitation itself but rather for “fair delimitation.” Calling for sustained efforts to establish rights, he underlined the need to create public awareness and pressure the Centre. Advocating for a united front, he stated, “Our representation must not decline.”
Stalin also announced that the next meeting on delimitation will be held in Hyderabad.
Meanwhile, on Friday, Union home minister Amit Shah, while addressing the Rajya Sabha, targeted Tamil Nadu CM Stalin, accusing him and his party of using the language issue for political advantage and as a distraction from corruption allegations. He also claimed that the Tamil Nadu government lacks the courage “to provide medical and engineering education in Tamil” as it would impact “economic interests.”
“Some parties are raking up the language issue for their own politics. They are doing it just to hide their corruption,” Shah said.
