Delimitation row: At Stalin-organised inter-party meet, Telangana CM Reddy claims "north will make us secondary citizens"
delimitation of parliamentary seats, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday convened the first Joint Action Committee (JAC) meeting of several states to rally support for opposing the plan. The meeting, held in Chennai, marked the beginning of a coordinated effort to safeguard India’s federal structure, which, according to Stalin, is under threat.
Describing the gathering as a «historic day» for India's federal system, Stalin emphasized that the struggle would likely extend to the legal realm. He stated, «Today will be etched in history as the day when states that have contributed to our nation's development came together to safeguard its federal structure by ensuring #FairDelimitation.»
The event saw a notable presence of political leaders and chief ministers from Kerala, Telangana, Punjab, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, all of whom voiced concerns about the Centre’s proposal. Stalin introduced the meeting with a call for unity, urging the states to fight for a «fair» and equitable delimitation process that wouldn’t undermine their representation.
Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy echoed these sentiments, arguing that if the proposed delimitation, which is based on population numbers, were implemented, it would marginalize southern states.
«If this happens, the north will make us secondary citizens,» Reddy said.
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Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also addressed the gathering, sharply criticizing the BJP-led government’s approach. He likened the proposed delimitation to a «sword of Damocles» hanging over the states, accusing the government of pushing the move without any consultation with the states. «This sudden move is not driven by constitutional principles or democratic