Need to freeze, not a fair one; new PM will rise from Tamil Nadu: Minister Aadhav

CHENNAI: Public Works Minister Aadhav Arjuna said the State government's resolution on the delimitation of Lok Sabha constituencies could pave the way for a future Prime Minister from Tamil Nadu, adding that the TVK seeks a freeze rather than fair delimitation.

He said Tamil Nadu could produce a Prime Minister in the future and pointed out that representation from the southern States was lower than that of the northern States.

"This resolution is more important than the NEET issue, as the NEET Bill is also being brought before Parliament," Arjuna said.

Emphasising the importance of the resolution, Arjuna said that even if Tamil Nadu secures 39 Lok Sabha seats, laws enacted by the Union government would still go against the State.

Thanking DMK president MK Stalin, who was the first to raise his voice against delimitation, Arjuna said that if all parties raised their voices together, Bills such as the NEET legislation could not be passed.

Cautioning against the proposal to increase the number of Lok Sabha seats by 50 per cent, the minister said that even if the Union government implemented it, the Hindi-speaking states would dominate Parliament, which would be unjust to the southern States.

"Tamil Nadu needs only a freeze on delimitation, not fair delimitation. The 543 constituencies in India should continue. No one is seeking an increase in the number of Parliament constituencies. We should not fall into the trap of the Hindi-speaking States," Aadhav said.