Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin (file photo)
Chennai: With three chief ministers, one deputy chief minister and several senior leaders from the opposition ranks, including the Congress, attending the anti-delimitation Joint Action Council (JAC) meeting on Saturday at Chennai, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, who took the initiative, has emerged as a strong rallying point for opposition against the BJP at the national level. However, a key player in the opposition ranks, the Trinamool Congress will give the meeting a miss.
The DMK-hosted Joint Action Committee (JAC) meeting on "Fair Delimitation" in Chennai is set to witness a strong show of unity among opposition parties. The meeting will be attended by three chief ministers – Pinarayi Vijayan (Kerala), A. Revanth Reddy (Telangana), and Bhagwant Mann (Punjab) – along with Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar. Representatives from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), and the Congress will also participate.
Though invited, West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress chose not to send a representative.
CM Stalin's meeting marked the culmination of his growing outreach efforts, which began with an all-party conference in Tamil Nadu on March 5.
At an earlier meeting, 58 registered political parties, excluding the BJP, set aside ideological differences to unite against the proposed 2026 delimitation exercise.
The DMK and its allies believe that the current delimitation proposal poses a threat to India's federal balance.
They are concerned that it will disproportionately reduce representation for southern and eastern states — regions that have excelled in population control, economic development, healthcare, education, and social welfare.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah's assurance last month in Coimbatore that southern states wouldn't lose a single parliamentary seat didn't quite convince the Tamil Nadu government. Despite his promise, the Tamil Nadu government decided to go ahead with the JAC meeting.
The DMK maintains that Shah’s remarks, made during a public rally and not in Parliament or an official forum, are ambiguous and not legally binding.
“The delimitation process as it stands will strike at the very foundation of Indian federalism,” CM Stalin warned in a video message shared on Friday.
“States that have responsibly controlled population growth and contributed to national development must not be punished. It will erode the essence of democracy itself.”
The JAC meeting will primarily focus on extending the current delimitation framework, which is based on the 1971 Census, for another 30 years beyond its scheduled expiration in 2026.
The meeting will draft a resolution demanding a delimitation process reconsideration. It will also explore legal options, like Supreme Court petitions, and launch public awareness campaigns in affected states.
This meeting marks a shift from traditional political alliances to a unified stance on the contentious delimitation process. Participating states fear that revising parliamentary seats based on the latest census data could weaken their presence in the Lok Sabha, diminishing their influence in policymaking and budget allocation. Critics warn this could favour northern states, largely BJP strongholds.
With this meeting, CM Stalin and DMK will firmly position themselves at the centre of a national political debate with far-reaching implications for the federal structure of India.
(inputs from IANS)