Stalin Calls for United Front on Delimitation, Warns of Threat to Federalism

Chennai- Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday called the upcoming meeting of leaders from seven states a “historic day for federalism,” as they prepare to discuss the contentious issue of parliamentary delimitation. Leaders from Odisha, Punjab, and Bengal are expected to join forces this weekend to oppose what Stalin described as a “blatant assault on federalism.”

In a video statement, Stalin reiterated Tamil Nadu’s concerns over the delimitation exercise set for 2026, warning that if conducted based on current population levels, it would reduce southern states’ parliamentary representation. He accused the Centre of penalizing states that successfully controlled population growth and labeled the move as an attempt to undermine states that have contributed significantly to national progress.

Tamil Nadu has been vocal in its opposition, arguing that the proposed changes would disproportionately benefit northern, Hindi-speaking states, bolstering their Lok Sabha representation. The southern state fears this shift could diminish its political influence at the national level.

The upcoming meeting follows a March 5 gathering of nearly 60 Tamil parties, which passed a resolution urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to base delimitation on 1971 population levels and retain the existing proportion of seats for another 30 years. Stalin has also reached out to the chief ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, Odisha, Punjab, and Bengal, urging them to stand against the move.

The Centre, meanwhile, has assured that no state will lose seats. Home Minister Amit Shah conveyed Prime Minister Modi’s assurances, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated that the number of seats allotted to each state would “naturally increase.” However, the DMK remains unconvinced, demanding a constitutional amendment to preserve the current proportion of MPs among states.