Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Wednesday said he would discuss with the High Command Tamil Nadu's invitation to participate in the anti-delimitation meeting in Chennai.
Tamil Nadu Forest Minister Ponnumudi and Rajya Sabha member MM Abdulla met the DCM and the CM at Vidhana Soudha earlier today and extended an invitation to participate in a meeting of South Indian states in Chennai on March 22 to discuss steps to counter the proposed Lok Sabha delimitation. The Tamil Nadu delegation also called on Karnataka CM Siddaramiah. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the DCM said, "Tamil Nadu CM Stalin has taken the lead in mobilising a protest against the Centre's Lok Sabha constituency delimitation exercise, which will reduce the number of seats for Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Stalin's representatives came and met CM Siddaramaiah and me. They have extended the invitation." "The ruling party of Tamil Nadu is our alliance partner, and we are in agreement with their stance on the delimitation exercise. As we are a national party, we need to discuss this with our party high command. We will decide on the next steps after seeking their advice. We have informed our counterparts from Tamil Nadu of the same. The delegation from Tamil Nadu discussed various aspects with us, including language. It is time we work together to uphold our self-respect," he added. Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin called for a joint effort from various political parties to raise their voices against delimitation, calling for a JAC meeting on March 22 in Chennai and inviting representatives from various political parties to join against the "blatant assault on federalism. "First JAC meeting in Chennai on March 22, 2025. Let us stand together not as separate political entities but as protectors of our people's future," MK Stalin wrote in a post on X. (ANI)
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