No Southern state will lose seats: Amit Shah tells Stalin amid delimitation row
Stalin described delimitation as a 'sword hanging over southern states' and said it would weaken Tamil Nadu's representation in Parliament
Union home minister Amit Shah has rejected chief minister MK Stalin’s fears that Tamil Nadu will lose any Lok Sabha seat if delimitation is done based on the country’s population census.
Shah quoted Prime Minister Narendra Modi as saying that no southern state will see their Lok Sabha numbers fall just after the parliamentary constituencies’ boundaries are redrawn.
"Modi made it clear in the Lok Sabha that even after delimitation, the seats of none of the states of the south will be decreased," the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said.
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All-party meet
The issue has become a major flashpoint between the DMK, which rules Tamil Nadu, and the Modi-led Central government.
Stalin has called an all-party meeting in Chennai on March 5 to discuss the implications of delimitation, warning that Tamil Nadu needed to protect its rights.
He described the delimitation process as a "sword hanging over southern states" and said it would weaken Tamil Nadu's representation in Parliament after it curbed its population growth.
"Our representation in parliament will be reduced... Tamil Nadu's voice is being stifled. This is a matter of Tamil Nadu's rights," Stalin said.
The DMK veteran said 40 political parties registered with the Election Commission had been invited to the meeting to discuss various issues.
Also read: Ready for another language war, says Stalin as he convenes all-party meet on delimitation
Other concerns
Besides delimitation, the meeting will also address concerns related to the three-language formula and the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), both of which are contentious issues in the state.
"As the chief minister of Tamil Nadu, I bring to everyone's attention that the Lok Sabha delimitation exercise based on the 2026 Census is extremely dangerous. Southern states like Tamil Nadu have done a great job in controlling population growth. But if that is the reason why our strength in parliament will decrease, if it can suppress our voice, how can it be justified?" Stalin wrote on X.
Tamil Nadu now elects 39 members to the Lok Sabha. Neighbouring Puducherry, also Tamil-speaking, sends a solitary member to the lower house of Parliament.
Stalin underlined that Tamil Nadu would not compromise on its parliamentary representation and called for a fair and transparent process that upholds federalist principles.
"To protect the future of our motherland, Tamil Nadu, let us unite as one, transcending party differences! Let us overcome the surrounding danger with our unity!"
South vs north India
Some experts said that a delimitation exercise will see the Lok Sabha strength shooting up from the present 543 to over 750, with almost all gains accruing to heavily-populated northern states.
And Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state, could get nearly 60 per cent more seats, its Lok Sabha strength zooming from the current 80 to 126.
Watch: Why the 'language war' gives DMK the edge in next year's elections
BRS backs Stalin
Meanwhile, BRS leader and former Telangana minister KT Rama Rao has backed Stalin and said that southern states should not be penalised for successfully implementing family planning measures.
“You cannot penalise the southern states for religiously implementing family planning when the nation needs it the most," he said.
KTR said that any delimitation must consider the fiscal contributions of states, rather than just population figures.
Language row
Another festering issue with the Centre is the ongoing row over a third language in schools, which recently led to a sharp exchange of words between Stalin and the Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
This happened after Stalin accused Pradhan of "blackmail" when the latter warned Tamil nadu that ₹2,400 crores in funds from the Centre would be withheld if the state did not fully implement the new education policy.
Both Stalin and his deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin have declared that Tamil Nadu is ready for another “language war” if Hindi is imposed on the state.
