Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Tuesday reiterated Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) concerns about demarcation and noted that any increase in parliamentary seats in the states should be unified.
He noted that despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s hinting at the increase in seats during the inauguration of the new parliament, the Union Home Minister Amit Shah admitted in 2023 that the change would affect South Indian state.
“Since Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin is raising this issue, they are changing their positions,” Udayanidi said.
He asserted that Tamil Nadu did not require its seat to increase or decrease, but only needed to seek equality when changes were made elsewhere.
He added: “If the center passes a resolution saying there is no change, we will not have problems. But if seats in other states increase, we ask us for the same problem.”
The DMK has been opposed to population-based demarcation, believing that this will reduce the representation of southern states that have successfully controlled population growth.
Tamil Nadu is not the only country delineated by population in South India. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also criticized the union’s interior minister Amit Shah’s remarks on demarcation, calling it “distrust” and “purposes to create chaos in the southern states.”
Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has also expressed concern about the issue in the past. Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee Chairman B Mahesh Kumar Goud called for a broader consultation before demarcation.
