The first meeting of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) on delimitation commenced in Chennai on Saturday, chaired by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president M K Stalin.
The meeting saw the participation of 14 leaders from at least five states, who deliberated on the perceived ‘threat’ posed by the Lok Sabha seats delimitation exercise to states with higher economic growth and literacy.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a scathing attack on the meeting, alleging that it served as a distraction from governance failures and corruption allegations.
The party staged a black flag protest, criticising Stalin for prioritising the JAC over more pressing inter-state issues such as the Cauvery and Mullaperiyar water-sharing disputes.
BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan described the meeting as a "corruption-hiding meeting" convened by state leaders facing allegations of misgovernance.
Karnataka’s Deputy Chief Minister, D K Shivakumar, asserted the need to resist any move that would reduce the parliamentary representation of the southern states.
“At any cost, we cannot let down our country and our seats to be reduced,” he said, adding that South India had always adhered to census regulations and family planning policies.
“Economically and in terms of literacy, we have consistently led the way. We have always protected the national interest, not just our own,” he remarked upon his arrival in Chennai.
BJP national spokesperson C R Kesavan dismissed the meeting as a “diversionary tactic” meant to shift focus away from DMK’s alleged failures in governance.
“DMK’s divisive politics of fear-mongering, attempting to mislead and misinform people, will badly boomerang back on the party. Rahul Gandhi and the Congress, with their mutually conflicting and contradicting stand on delimitation, are indulging in a very pathetic politics of opportunism which is utterly condemnable,” he said.
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Former Telangana Governor and senior BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan, while leading the protest, questioned the necessity of the meeting, asserting that the Centre had given clear assurances on the matter.
“Delimitation has not been announced, and not a single word has been uttered by the central government. Home Minister Amit Shah came to Coimbatore and clarified that Tamil Nadu will not be affected. So, on what basis are you conducting this meeting?” she asked.
Soundararajan further alleged that the meeting was a ploy to divert attention from corruption scandals in various states.
“This meeting is being held to hide corruption charges and divide the people of the country. The concerned CMs attending this event are doing so to obscure the misgovernance in their respective states. There are so many corruption charges in Telangana and Kerala. Their own people will oppose their CMs attending this event,” she said.
Earlier, Chief Ministers of Kerala, Telangana, and Punjab—Pinarayi Vijayan, Revanth Reddy, Bhagwant Singh Mann—along with Shiromani Akali Dal’s Balwinder Singh Bhunder and Indian Union Muslim League’s P M A Salam, arrived in Chennai to participate in the discussions.
The DMK has reached out to seven states—Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, West Bengal, and Punjab—for deliberations on the issue.
On the eve of the meeting, Stalin termed it a “historic day for Indian federalism.”
He described the all-party discussion as a “landmark moment” in which 58 parties set aside their differences for a common cause.
“This overwhelming consensus reflected Tamil Nadu’s unwavering commitment to democracy and justice,” he stated.
Stalin further emphasised the larger significance of the gathering.
“Building on this historic unity, our MPs and Ministers actively engaged with leaders from other affected states, strengthening our collective resolve. What started as Tamil Nadu’s initiative has now grown into a national movement, with states across India joining hands to demand fair representation. This is a defining moment in our collective journey. This is more than a meeting—it is the beginning of a movement that will shape the future of our country. Together, we will achieve #FairDelimitation,” he declared.
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