CM Vijay Chairs MPs Meeting at Kalaivanar Arangam Over Delimitation

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay chaired a consultation meeting of state MPs on Saturday at Kalaivanar Arangam to build a united front against the Union government's proposed delimitation exercise. Around 21 Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha lawmakers gathered at the venue to discuss the population-based redrawing of constituencies, which southern political leaders fear will lead to a decrease in their parliamentary presence.

The meeting brought together parliamentarians representing parties including the Congress, VCK, CPI, CPI(M), MDMK, and IUML. Attending leaders reached a consensus that any constituency redrawing tied to post-2026 census data that reduces Tamil Nadu's political weight must be strongly opposed. To protect federal equity, leaders called for freezing the total strength of the Lok Sabha at its current capacity of 543 seats, thereby preserving the historical allocation formula and guaranteeing Tamil Nadu's allocation of 39 seats.

The pushback against the proposed exercise stems from demographic differences between regions. For decades, southern states such as Tamil Nadu and Kerala have implemented national population control and family planning guidelines. Conversely, several northern states have seen higher population growth rates. Attendees highlighted that under a strict population-based allocation model, southern states face penalties for demographic success, while states with surging populations stand to gain a disproportionately higher share of Lok Sabha seats.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Congress Lok Sabha MP Karti Chidambaram emphasised that the issue goes beyond party-based politics as it directly affects Tamil Nadu's rights and representation in Parliament. He stated that any delimitation formula, whether based on population or uniform increases, would diminish the state's role. Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar) president GK Vasan also urged political parties to put aside differences and work together, calling on the Centre to frame proper guidelines so that every state benefits fairly.

The consultation proceeded without representatives from major regional parties, as the DMK, AIADMK, and PMK opted to stay away. DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan criticized the government for writing directly to individual MPs rather than sending formal invitations to party leaders. He noted that DMK MPs had already opposed delimitation during the previous Parliament session. Additionally, senior DMK leader R S Bharathi stated that any position taken before reviewing the finalized legislation would be premature, noting his party will decide its stance after the bill is formally presented in Parliament.