South states sink differences to fight against delimitation

In a rare show of unity, four chief ministers, a deputy chief minister and several leaders of opposition political parties, including opponents within the states, met on Saturday and vowed to oppose the federal move to redraw the parliamentary constituencies according to the current population.

-  Ashraf Padanna

With a healthy fertilty rate, the southern states fear losing their share of representation in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of parliament, if the federal government moves ahead with its plan.

Besides host Tamil Nadu, its southern neighbours Kerala, Karnataka, and Telangana participated in the meeting along with the opposition-ruled northern Punjab state. However, Andhra Pradesh, ruled by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), an ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), kept away.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin described the Joint Action Committee's Fair Delimitation meeting as “a defining moment.”

The leaders resolved to meet again in Hyderabad next week with a massive rally.

He said the movement was not against delimitation. Still, it demands a fair and just process that does not punish states that have contributed to the national progress through their effective population control.