"We don't expect rewards, we expect equal treatment": DMK's Saravanan Annadurai on delimitation issue

"The BJP just wants to dismiss the delimitation issue as though it's a non-issue. We have been accusing the BJP of being a Hindi majoritarian party. This is a chance for them to show they stand for the entire country. Freeze this issue for 30 years because the population in the North Indian states has not come down, while the South Indian states have done that. We don't expect rewards, we expect equal treatment.

Annadurai stated that the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government does not expect rewards but seeks equal treatment in delimitation exercise.

"The BJP wants to somehow sneak in delimitation without anybody noticing. CM MK Stalin has made this a rallying point. That is why the BJP is angry with him, and the recent ED raids seem like a direct fallout of this," Annadurai said.

Earlier today, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said that fair delimitation is crucial, not just for the number of MPs, but for the state's rights.

"Fair delimitation is the talk of the town right now. Why has the DMK brought this to focus? Because in 2026, delimitation will happen. And if the delimitation exercise is carried out based on population, our representation in Parliament will be severely affected. This is not just about the number of MPs but about our State's rights. This is why we have convened a meeting of all parties. Except the BJP, every other party stood together as one," Stalin said in a video posted on X.

Chief Minister MK Stalin-led Tamil Nadu government has locked horns with the Central government over the three-language formula proposed in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the delimitation exercise.

Stalin has called for a joint effort from various political parties to raise their voices against Delimitation, calling for a Joint Action Committee meeting on March 22 to be held in Chennai, inviting representatives from various political parties to join against the "blatant assault on federalism."

He also had written to the Chief Ministers of seven states, both from National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ruling states and otherwise, to join him in the "fight against this unfair exercise."

Congress leader P Chidambaram also expressed his fear that if delimitation is conducted, Southern states will lose 26 seats in the Lok Sabha, and their voices will not be heard.

"Delimitation is a serious issue. It was frozen in 1971. A census taken after 2026 will lead to delimitation, followed by re-determination of the seats. According to our calculation, if it is redistributed according to the current population of states, and the state's numbers are changed, our southern states, which have 129 seats, will come down to 103. The five southern states will lose 26 seats, whereas the populous states where population is growing will gain seats, especially UP, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan," Chidambaram said. (ANI)