"A historic day for federalism" - Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said on X Friday morning, setting the stage for a crucial meeting this weekend, at which political leaders from seven states, including those from Odisha, Punjab, and Bengal, will discuss the delimitation row.
Mr Stalin had earlier called on leaders from these states, including those from the opposition ranks, to form a 'Joint Action Committee' to protest the 'blatant assault on federalism'.
In a video statement today, Mr Stalin called for "fair delimitation" and outlined Tamil Nadu's ruling party's concerns about the exercise - which will see boundaries of parliamentary and Assembly constituencies re-drawn and, possibly, their numbers increased - scheduled for 2026.
"... if delimitation exercise is carried out based on 2026 population levels, our representation in Parliament will suffer. This is why we have raised our voice first. This is not just about the number of MPs... this is about all state's rights," MK Stalin said in the nearly two-minute video.
"It (the proposed delimitation) strikes at the very foundation of federalism in India. It will erode the essence of democracy itself. Our voices in Parliament will be silenced. Our rights will be compromised. This is a deliberate attempt to undermine certain states... states that have controlled population growth, governed efficiently, and contributed to national progress."
Tamil Nadu has vociferously opposed the centre's plans for a delimitation based on current population levels, arguing it will penalise states that have successfully controlled population growth.
NDTV Explains | What Is Delimitation And Why Is Tamil Nadu Wary Of It?
It will also, the southern state has said, increase Lok Sabha seats for northern, Hindi-speaking states - widely seen as supporting the BJP - ahead of the next general election in 2030.
The reduction in Lok Sabha seats, the state has argued, will decrease the power of its voice in Parliament and, possibly, even result in Tamil Nadu being sidelined in favour of states that send more MPs and are, therefore, critical to a party looking to win elections and power at the centre.
The meeting on Saturday will follow nearly 60 Tamil parties convening on March 5 and passing a resolution urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure delimitation next year is "based on 1971 population levels and retained for 30 years to motivate other states to control growth".
READ | "Delimitation Based On 1971 Census...": Tamil Nadu All-Party Meet To PM
In his video statement Mr Stalin referred to that meeting, pointing out that every party in the state, except the BJP, which has historically struggled for traction in the state, attended.
Following that meeting Mr Stalin wrote to the chief ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, Odisha, Punjab, and Bengal, as well as the main political parties in each.
In the letter he wrote, "Delimitation math is simple and sobering. Reports suggest the exercise is being considered based on population (and) with two potential approaches. In the first case, existing 543 seats will be redistributed. In the second, the number could increase to over 800."
"In both scenarios, states that have successfully implemented population control measures stand to lose significantly if the exercise is based on post-2026 data."
"We should not be penalised for effectively controlling population growth..."
The government has insisted that neither Tamil Nadu nor any other state will be penalised.
In February Home Minister Amit Shah, while at an event in Coimbatore, conveyed assurances from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. And, earlier this month, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told news agency IANS the number of seats allotted to each state would "naturally increase".
However, Tamil Nadu's DMK remains unconvinced.
The Chief Minister pointed out that while Mr Shah offered assurances the state would not lose seats, he did not also say the northern states would not gain any.
And, instead of focusing on the number of MPs, Tamil Nadu wants to safeguard the present proportion, so that even if those like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, which have failed in controlling their populations, get a dramatic increase in number of seats, others will get a proportionate increase.
The meeting of Tamil parties had demanded such an assurance from the Prime Minister - in the form of a constitutional amendment to ensure the present percentage of MPs from these states remains.
The Congress, an ally of the DMK in Tamil Nadu and at the national level, has been supportive on this issue, with its Telangana and Karnataka chief ministers speaking out; Telangana's Revanth Reddy declared delimitation a "limitation on the southern states" and Karnataka's Siddaramaiah accused the BJP of using delimitation as a "tool to weaken states that resisted its dominance".
