New Delhi:
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has strongly criticised Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement that southern states will not lose any seat due to delimitation, calling the assurance “unreliable” and “misleading”. Mr Shah’s claim appears to either stem from a “lack of accurate information or, more worryingly, a deliberate attempt to undermine states like Karnataka, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh,” the Chief Minister said in a statement.
Speaking at the party office in Coimbatore, Mr Shah yesterday said, “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”.
In earlier delimitation exercises, the 1971 census was used to ensure fairness and to recognize the developmental efforts of southern states. Questioning what the basis of the delimitation process will be, Mr Siddramaiah called upon the Centre to retain the status quo.
A statement from the Chief Minister’s office sent a projection of Lok Sabha Seat Changes if based on census data from 2021 or 2031:
* Karnataka: 28 To 26
* Andhra Pradesh: 42 to 34
* Kerala: 20 to 12
* Tamil Nadu: 39 to 31
Projected Lok Sabha Seat Increases for Northern States:
* Uttar Pradesh: 80 to 91
* Bihar: 40 to 50
* Madhya Pradesh: 29 to 33
Mr Shah’s assurance came amid a massive meeting on delimitation and its effects called by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin.
South has been concerned that a drop in the number of parliamentary seats will stifle their voice in parliament and will give North India an extra heft.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK chief MK Stalin said his state will lose out during delimitation because of successful implementation of family planning programme.
Siddaramaiah said the central government seems intent on using delimitation “as a tool to weaken the political influence of southern states, which have resisted BJP dominance”.
Discussions are already in progress among the southern states to form a united front, and a coordinated movement will soon be launched to oppose the unfair delimitation process.
So far, Delimitation Commission has been formed four times — in 1952, 1963, 1973, 2002. Delimitation did not happen after the census of 1981 and 1991. Though it took place after the 2001 census, the number of seats were not increased.
In September last year, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said in the Lok Sabha that census and delimitation will be undertaken after the 2024 general election.
