Annamalai rebuts Stalin on delimitation, says Tamil Nadu seats may rise to 59

CHENNAI: Former BJP state president K Annamalai on Tuesday rejected Chief Minister M K Stalin's criticism of the proposed parliamentary delimitation, terming his warning to the Prime Minister inappropriate and asserting that Tamil Nadu stands to gain additional seats.

Speaking to reporters after the BJP's manifesto release here, Annamalai said delimitation was not being carried out purely on a population basis.

"If it were done strictly on population, Tamil Nadu's seats would have come down from 39 to 31. The Prime Minister is ensuring that southern States are not affected," he said.

He added that the Centre was considering expanding the total strength of the Lok Sabha to enable broader representation, including reservation for women.

"Only if the strength is increased can 33 per cent reservation for women be implemented. The total number is likely to be expanded," he said.

According to him, Tamil Nadu's parliamentary representation could increase significantly.

"The number of MPs from Tamil Nadu may go up from 39 to 59," he said, adding that the proposal aimed to ensure that no State was disadvantaged.

Taking a swipe at the DMK, Annamalai alleged that its MPs had not contributed meaningfully in Parliament. "DMK MPs have not spoken constructively in Parliament. They must participate effectively in the upcoming special session," he said.

The BJP leader also said that if the State government had constructive suggestions on delimitation, it should present them formally instead of issuing public warnings. Referring to Stalin's remarks, he said, "Issuing threats or warnings is not appropriate."

Annamalai further claimed that the restructuring exercise could lead to the re-creation of constituencies such as Pudukkottai, citing communication from authorities.