Move to tilt balance of power: K Selvaperunthagai

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K Selvaperunthagai on Tuesday alleged that the Union government was attempting to push through the delimitation of parliamentary constituencies in haste amid the ongoing elections in five States.

In a statement, he said Parliament was likely to be convened between April 16 and 18 to take forward the exercise, despite opposition parties urging that such a crucial decision be deferred until the completion of polling on April 26. He accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of ignoring these demands and proceeding unilaterally.

Selvaperunthagai warned that if delimitation was carried out based on population, southern States, including Tamil Nadu, stood to lose parliamentary representation. Citing Chief Minister MK Stalin, he said Tamil Nadu could lose up to eight Lok Sabha seats, reducing its tally from 39 to 31.

He pointed out that the State Assembly had already passed a resolution seeking to postpone the exercise, highlighting concerns over its adverse impact on States that had effectively implemented population control measures.

The TNCC president further said the proposed changes could significantly reduce the share of southern States in Parliament while increasing representation for northern States. This, he alleged, would tilt the balance of power and weaken federal principles.

Describing the move as a serious threat to southern states, he urged people to remain vigilant and oppose any measure that undermined their political representation and rights.