A HANGING SWORD: MK Stalin at All Party Meet Today on Delimitation Issue
“I believe there should be no differences of opinion among us on this matter, and I sincerely hope there won’t be,” the Tamil Nadu CM said to all while kicking off the meeting.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin convened an all-party meeting in Chennai on March 5, 2025, to rally opposition against the impending Lok Sabha delimitation, warning it could slash the state’s parliamentary seats from 39 to 31. Addressing leaders at the Secretariat, Stalin called delimitation a peril not just for Tamil Nadu but for all of South India, urging unity across political divides.
“Delimitation is not just a danger to Tamil Nadu but to the entirety of South India,” Stalin declared. “I believe there should be no differences of opinion among us on this matter, and I sincerely hope there won’t be.” He framed the issue as a “sword hanging over South India’s head,” arguing that Tamil Nadu’s success in population control—through decades of family planning, women’s education, and healthcare—should not cost it representation. “Currently, Tamil Nadu has 39 parliamentary constituencies, but there’s a looming risk of this number being reduced,” he said, estimating a potential loss of eight to twelve seats.
The Union government’s plan to redraw constituencies in 2026 based on population threatens to penalize states like Tamil Nadu, which has met national population goals, while favoring densely populated regions. “This will crush Tamil Nadu’s voice,” Stalin warned. “It’s not just about numbers—it’s about our rights.” He proposed a Joint Action Committee of southern state MPs to lobby against this formula, building on a Tamil Nadu Assembly resolution from February 14, 2024. The all-party meeting is expected to pass a resolution on this.
With 53 of 56 invited parties present—including AIADMK and PMK, but not BJP—Stalin stressed federal fairness. “If such an unjust delimitation is implemented, Tamil Nadu’s voice in Indian politics will be stifled,” he cautioned, calling it a “direct attack” on southern states’ rights. Plans were set to present a united resolution to India’s President, amplifying Tamil Nadu’s fight to preserve its political clout.
