Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin wrote a letter to the chief ministers of southern and eastern states in India to form a united front against the Centre’s delimitation exercise. He warned that if the process is executed as per the next census, it would drastically weaken the political representation of their states, which have successfully controlled their population growth, The Indian Express reported.
In the letter, Stalin addressed multiple Chief Ministers and former Chief Ministers and said that the Centre’s delimitation plans are a fundamental assault on federalism.
Stalin wrote, “The essence of India’s democracy rests on its federal character — a system that gives each State its rightful voice while honouring our sacred unity as one Nation. Today, I write with urgency as this balance faces a profound threat that could permanently diminish the influence of States like ours in shaping our nation’s future.”
Stalin wrote the letter after the all-party meeting he convened where political rivals — ranging from the ruling DMK to opposition parties such as the AIADMK, Congress, and the Left — set aside differences to oppose the Centre’s move, which Stalin called a direct attack on Tamil Nadu’s political representation in Indian democracy.
Tamil Nadu BJP, however, chose to boycott the meeting, saying that Satlin’s concerns were imaginary.
According to Stalin, the states, including Tamil Nadu, that have successfully implemented family planning to check population growth will now lose parliamentary seats, while states with higher population growth will gain those seats. He said that Tamil Nadu, which has 39 Lok Sabha seats, will see its share reduce by up to eight seats while states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar will gain seats significantly if the delimitation process is carried out based on post-2026 population data.
“The question is no longer if delimitation will happen, but when and whether it will honour the contributions of states that have advanced our national priorities,” Stalin warned in his letter. “With the 2021 Census delayed, the delimitation exercise — originally expected after the 2031 Census — could now take place much earlier than anticipated. This acceleration gives us very little time to protect our interests.”