Leaders of South India are trying to show solidarity on the issue of delimitation.
Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Saturday welcomed several prominent opposition leaders before the JAC meeting on delimitation in Chennai. Major political personalities across the country have participated in this meeting. Before the discussion, Stalin welcomed Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivkumar and BRS leader Katie Rama Rao. Explain that the states of South India are mainly expressing their concerns on the issue of delimitation.
Mamta Banerjee did not attend the meeting
West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee did not attend the meeting citing pre -commitments. However, a letter expressing his support was read during the session. The meeting was also attended by representatives of Odisha’s Biju Janata Dal, Indian Communist Party, Indian Union Muslim League and some other regional parties. The NDA associate Jan Sena Party of Andhra Pradesh, led by Pawan Kalyan, did not send any representative. The session began with Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udayanidhi Stalin addressing the gathering on the importance of the meeting.
Why is the issue of delimitation being raised?
The delimitation is the process of re -defining parliamentary and assembly constituencies according to population change. Its purpose is to ensure that almost the same number of people live in each constituency. In other words, the delimitation is directly connected to the size. States with large population get more representatives in Parliament than in less population states. The concern of many states of the south is that states with more populated states of North India will get more seats in delimitation, which will reduce their representation in Parliament.
‘Drama to divert attention from failures’
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party is protesting by showing black flags across Tamil Nadu, and alleging that DMK and Chief Minister Stalin are using the delimitation meeting to divert attention from the “corruption” prevailing in the state. The party said in a statement, “This is nothing but a political drama to divert attention from DMK failures.”
