Delimitation hanging like sword of Damocles, says Pinarayi at DMK's JAC meet

Chennai: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, along with his counterparts from Telangana and Punjab, arrived in Chennai to participate in the first Joint Action Committee (JAC) meeting of states on delimitation, hosted by Tamil Nadu’s ruling DMK on Saturday. 

At the meeting, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin made it clear that the fight could be pursued to the legal route if necessary. Stalin also proposed setting up an expert panel to draw up political and legal action plans and christening it 'Joint Action Committee for fair delimitation' . He said: "We are not against delimitation; we are for fair delimitation," adding, "Continuous action is essential to establish rights." On the JAC, he said it was essential to create awareness among people and to urge the Centre. Stalin was for a united fight to win and said, "Our representation must not decline.

In the meeting, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the delimitation of LS seats was hanging like the "sword of Damocles," and alleged the BJP government was going ahead on the issue without any consultation. He said "This sudden move is not driven by Constitutional principles or democratic imperatives," but by narrow political interests. Delimitation, if done after Census will lead to an increase in seats for northern states, a reduction for southern states. Such a cut in seats for the south and, an increase for the north will suit the BJP as it holds greater influence in the north.

Apart from Vijayan, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Shiromani Akali Dal working president Balwinder Singh Bhunder, and Indian Union Muslim League Kerala general secretary P M A Salam were among the leaders who gathered for the event. The DMK has reached out to seven states—Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, West Bengal and Punjab—for this initiative.

The BJP has dismissed the meeting as a “delusional drama.” BJP Tamil Nadu President K Annamalai criticised the DMK, pointing to a speech by DMK Minister TM Anbarasan that allegedly insulted northern states. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, addressing the Rajya Sabha, assured that southern states would not lose a single parliamentary seat and accused Stalin of spreading misinformation. He reiterated that Hindi was not in competition with any Indian language but rather a friend to all.

The delimitation issue is the latest flashpoint between the DMK and the BJP-led central government, adding to existing tensions over education policies, alleged Hindi imposition, and financial disputes. The Enforcement Directorate’s recent Rs 1,000 crore TASMAC scam allegations have further fuelled political rivalry between the two parties.

Meanwhile, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, who had earlier expressed concerns that the current delimitation rules would weaken southern states' representation despite their economic contributions, is expected to reiterate his stance. Telangana Congress president B Mahesh Kumar Goud and opposition BRS leader K T Rama Rao also arrived in Chennai to participate in the discussions.

The DMK’s outreach efforts included a delegation led by MP Kanimozhi, state minister K N Nehru, and former Union minister A Raja, who met Reddy in Delhi on March 13 to invite him to the meeting. The BRS, led by K Chandrasekhar Rao, has also voiced concerns over the delimitation exercise, stating that it disproportionately affects the southern states.