Stalin Blows Delimitation Pre-emptive Gust in Chennai

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Jharkhand CM Skips DMK’s Delimitation Meeting in Chennai

TRH News Desk

New Delhi, March 22: In a show of strength, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday warned the Centre against population-based delimitation. The Congress also lent support to Stalin’s stance on delimitation.

Chief Ministers of Kerala, Punjab and Telangana attended the Chennai meeting called by the DMK. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar also attended the meeting.

“Our state successfully controlled population growth through policies and awareness, achieving the replacement rate early. However, instead of being rewarded, we now face the risk of losing political representation,” Stalin said in his remarks at the meeting.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister lamented that “states with higher population growth gain more influence”. Congress communication department chief Jairam Ramesh also argued against the population-based delimitation to raise the strength of the Lok Sabha.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was the only Chief Minister from non-southern states to attend the meeting. Earlier, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren was announced for attending the meeting.

Delimitation to Retain States’ Ratio of Strength in Lok Sabha: RSS

But, Soren, skipped the meeting. He posted a short message on X, saying that the delimitation to raise the strength of the Lok Sabha should not be done on the basis of population.

Former Odisha Chief Minister Navin Patnaik suggested that the Centre should hold consultations with stakeholders to dispel misgivings on the issue. Former Telangana Minister KT Rao said in the meeting that while the state has a share of 2.2 per cent in India’s population, the stat’s share in the national GDP was over 5.3 per cent. He argued that the “good performance of southern states should not be punished”.

Meanwhile, the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) once again said that attempts are being made to spread misinformation about delimitation. “All parties should desist from spreading misgivings on the issue of delimitation,” said Arun Kumar, the RSS joint general secretary.

Punjab Chief Minister also claimed that while his state acted well on population growth the state now faces risk of losing strength in the Lok Sabha. Interestingly, Congress-ruled Himachal Pradesh stayed away from the meeting. There was also no participation in the meeting from any of the Northeastern states.

While the Centre is yet to speak anything officially on delimitation, the DMK is stirring the pot with an eye on the state Assembly elections next year. The DMK will face with the challenge of assertive Opposition, as well as film star Vijay’s challenge who has launched his party TVK in the state.

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