Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge warned on Sunday that a population-based delimitation exercise would disproportionately harm southern states by slashing their Lok Sabha representation, calling it an “injustice” that demands united resistance.

Speaking at the centenary celebrations of late Karnataka minister K H Patil in Gadag, Kharge also lambasted the central government for neglecting education and slashing funds to cooperatives.

“Delimitation based on population is being planned, through which efforts are being made to reduce the number of parliamentary and legislative assembly seats in South India,” Kharge said, noting that northern states could see a 30% rise in representation.

“If this happens, it will be an injustice. We must unite against this,” he urged, rallying Karnataka’s people to speak with one voice on issues of development and equity.

Kharge criticized the Centre’s commitment to cooperative federalism, questioning, “If there is cooperative federalism, why are people not receiving the funds they are entitled to?” He pointed to a 58% cut in NABARD funding for Karnataka’s cooperatives as evidence of neglect.

Turning to education, he accused the government of undermining the sector, alleging, “50 per cent of positions remain vacant in central universities, IITs, IIMs, and Kendriya Vidyalayas.” He asked, “If 50 per cent of posts are unfilled, how will our children study and progress?”

The AICC chief’s remarks amplify growing southern concerns over the post-2026 delimitation, frozen since 1976, which could favor northern states with higher population growth, penalizing the south’s successful family planning efforts.