Daijiworld Media Network - Chennai

Chennai, Mar 22: Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has strongly opposed population-based delimitation, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to adopt the approach followed by former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Speaking at the ‘Fair Delimitation’ event hosted by Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin in Chennai, Reddy warned against imposing a "demographic penalty" on southern states that successfully implemented family planning.

Reddy emphasized that increasing Lok Sabha seats would create an imbalance in political power. "In 1976, Indira Gandhi ensured delimitation without increasing seats. The Vajpayee-led NDA government did the same in 2001. Modi should also follow this path," he said.

He proposed that delimitation should be conducted within states rather than increasing seats nationally. "Change Lok Sabha seat boundaries based on the latest census, increase SC/ST seats, and implement 33% reservation for women in every state," he suggested, warning that failing to do so would reduce the South to a passive spectator in national politics.

The Telangana CM also set conditions for any delimitation process, demanding that the South’s representation in the Lok Sabha be increased from 24% to 33%. "If delimitation is based on population, the South will lose its political voice, making North India dominant," he cautioned, calling on southern states and Punjab to resist such moves.

Reddy also rejected the pro-rata formula, arguing that it would widen the power gap. "Governments have fallen because of just one vote. We cannot let this formula weaken us politically," he added.

Highlighting the South’s economic contribution, Reddy criticized the BJP for penalizing states that performed well in governance, infrastructure, and job creation. "We contribute more to the national exchequer but receive less in return. This proposed delimitation will punish us for our success," he asserted.

He announced that Telangana would soon pass a resolution against delimitation and urged other southern states and Punjab to do the same. "The South should be treated like the Northeast and Union Territories, where the MP-population ratio is not strictly followed," he concluded.