The chief minister urged the Centre to clarify whether delimitation will be based on the latest population ratio or other criteria.
Published Feb 27, 2025 | 5:23 PM ⚊ Updated Feb 27, 2025 | 5:23 PM
Synopsis: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah became the latest leader in the South to express opposition to the upcoming delimitation process for Lok Sabha seats, terming Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent assurance of it’s limited impact on southern states as “not trustworthy”.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday, 27 February, dismissed Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s assurance on the upcoming delimitation process, calling it “not trustworthy” and an attempt to mislead the southern states.
Joining Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and Bharat Rashtra Samiti Working President KT Rama Rao in expressing opposition to the exercise, scheduled to be conducted based on 2026 census data, Siddaramaiah warned that if the exercise is based on the latest population figures, it would cause “severe injustice” to Karnataka and other southern states.
“Amit Shah’s claim that southern states will not be disadvantaged in the delimitation process is not trustworthy. His statement rather appears to be aimed at creating confusion in the southern states,” Siddaramaiah said in a press statement.
He questioned whether the Union government intends to base delimitation on the latest population ratio or the current number of Lok Sabha seats. “If the Union government genuinely wishes to ensure fairness for the southern states, the Home Minister must clarify whether delimitation will be based on the latest population ratio or on the current number of Lok Sabha seats,” he said.
The debate around delimitation was reignited earlier this week, when MK Stalin, on Tuesday, 25 February, called for regional parties in his state to unite against “a threat hanging over the southern states like the sword of Damocles.”
In response, while addressing BJP workers in Tamil Nadu on 26 February, Shah dismissed concerns about delimitation reducing seats in the South. “Mr Stalin ji, the Modi government has made it clear in Lok Sabha that after delimitation, on pro rata basis, not a single seat will be reduced in any southern state,” he said.
He reassured voters that the South would not lose representation, stating, “I want to reassure the public of South India that Modi ji has kept all your interests in mind to make sure that not even one seat is reduced pro rata. And whatever increase is there, southern states will get a fair share, there is no reason to doubt this.”
Siddaramaiah argued that past delimitation exercises used the 1971 Census to ensure fairness and that shifting to a population-based model would punish states that successfully controlled their population growth.
“It is evident that if delimitation is carried out based on the latest population ratio, it will be a severe injustice to the southern states. To prevent such unfairness, previous delimitation exercises were conducted using the 1971 Census as the basis, following constitutional amendments,” he said.
Siddaramaiah pointed out that Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana have outperformed several northern states in governance, healthcare, and development, while states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh have lagged behind in controlling population growth.
“Over the past 50 years, southern states have effectively controlled population growth while progressing significantly in terms of development. Meanwhile, northern states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh have failed to regulate population growth and continue to lag in development,” he said.
He further questioned whether Amit Shah was unaware of the implications of population-based delimitation or if there was a deliberate attempt to disadvantage the South. “In either scenario, the southern states will bear the loss. Is the Home Minister unaware of this?” he asked.
Citing unnamed studies, Siddaramaiah said Karnataka’s Lok Sabha representation could shrink from 28 to 26 if delimitation is based on the latest census. Tamil Nadu may see a reduction from 39 to 31, Andhra Pradesh from 42 to 34, and Kerala from 20 to 12.
Meanwhile, states in the north would gain more seats, shifting political power further away from the South. “The number of Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh would increase from 80 to 91, Bihar’s from 40 to 50, and Madhya Pradesh’s from 29 to 33. If this is not injustice, what is?” he asked.
Siddaramaiah argued that this loss of seats would weaken the voice of southern states in national policymaking. “To further silence the voices of southern states in Parliament and prevent them from raising their concerns at the national level, the Union BJP government has now taken up the new weapon of delimitation,” he said.
He demanded that the Union government clarify its stand on the basis of delimitation. “If southern states, including Karnataka, are to be treated fairly in the delimitation process, either the 1971 Census must be used as the basis, or the number of Lok Sabha seats should be increased proportionally, without relying solely on population figures,” he said.
Meanwhile, the chief minister accused the BJP-led Union government of deliberately sidelining Karnataka through financial and policy decisions, claiming that delimitation was part of a broader effort to weaken the state’s voice in national politics.
“It is becoming increasingly evident that every decision taken by the Union government – whether it is the unfair distribution of tax revenues, injustice in GST and disaster relief funds, the imposition of a burdensome education policy, or amendments to UGC regulations – is intended to punish Karnataka,” he said.
Siddaramaiah linked the push for delimitation to BJP’s electoral setbacks in the state, alleging that it was an attempt to “punish the people of the southern states for resisting” the party.
“Looking at the extraordinary enthusiasm shown by Narendra Modi’s Union government for delimitation, it appears that the real intent is to punish the people of the southern states for resisting his party’s dominance,” he said.
He recalled BJP President JP Nadda’s remarks during the Karnataka assembly elections, where he warned that the state would not receive “Narendra Modi’s blessings” if the people did not vote for the BJP. “Every action taken by the Union government against our state now proves this statement to be true,” Siddaramaiah said.
He criticised Karnataka’s NDA MPs for remaining silent on the issue. “Despite witnessing these repeated injustices, 17 BJP MPs and 2 JD(S) MPs elected from Karnataka to the Lok Sabha have remained silent like slaves. Meanwhile, BJP leaders in the state are too busy engaging in petty internal conflicts and mudslinging,” he said.
Siddaramaiah echoed Stalin’s call for a united fight, urging all Kannadigas to stand together. “It is crucial for all Kannadigas to set aside differences of caste, religion, and political ideology and unite with a single voice against the injustice being inflicted upon the state by the Union government,” he said.
He continued: “Discussions are already underway with neighbouring southern states to wage a comprehensive fight against these injustices. In the coming days, a coordinated movement will be launched in collaboration with all affected states.”
With strong opposition from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, the delimitation debate is set to escalate, as southern states prepare to challenge the Centre’s approach.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
