Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during the Joint Action Committee (JAC) meeting on delimitation, hosted by Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin in Chennai on Saturday.

Speaking in Hindi, Mann accused the BJP of manipulating the delimitation process to bolster its electoral prospects, alleging, “They want to increase seats in states where they win and reduce them where they lose.”

Mann argued that the proposed exercise, expected post-2026 census, unfairly favors northern states—where the BJP enjoys strong support—over southern states and others like Punjab that have effectively controlled population growth.

“It’s only the Hindi-speaking northern states that will benefit,” he claimed, echoing concerns raised by southern leaders. The Punjab CM highlighted the irony of penalizing states that adhered to national population control policies, calling it a deliberate tactic to weaken opposition strongholds.

The meeting, attended by CMs from Kerala, Telangana, and other non-BJP states, aimed to forge a united front against what participants see as an assault on federalism. Mann’s remarks build on his earlier statements on March 15, when he first flagged the issue, alleging the BJP-led Centre was “playing tricks” to suppress states like Punjab and Tamil Nadu.

With the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) governing Punjab, Mann vowed to resist any reduction in representation, aligning with Stalin’s call for a fair delimitation process that preserves each state’s parliamentary share.