Published Jul 17, 2026 | 12:55 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 17, 2026 | 12:55 PM
A screegrab of the DMK's online meeting.
Synopsis: DMK leaders have dismissed reports claiming the party discussed a proposed Delimitation Bill ahead of Parliament’s Monsoon Session. Senior leaders P Wilson and RS Bharathi said no such Bill is scheduled and that the MPs’ meeting focused only on the Mekedatu issue.
With the Parliament’s Monsoon Session set to begin soon, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) held a virtual meeting of its Members of Parliament with party president MK Stalin on the evening of July 16 to discuss the party’s strategy for the session.
Reports had claimed that the meeting included an extensive discussion on a reworked Delimitation Bill that the BJP-led Union government was expected to introduce during the session. However, DMK Rajya Sabha MP P Wilson dismissed those reports, stating that no such Bill is slated for the upcoming Monsoon Session.
DMK MPs’ meeting
The meeting was attended by DMK president MK Stalin, general secretary Duraimurugan, organising secretary RS Bharathi, Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, Tiruchi Siva, TR Baalu, and other DMK MPs.
Following the meeting, Stalin posted on X that DMK MPs will strongly oppose Karnataka’s Mekedatu dam project and safeguard Tamil Nadu’s rightful share of Cauvery waters.
“Whatever new legislation the Union government brings, the DMK’s stand will always be to protect the rights of the states and uphold the Constitution. Every DMK MP will function as the conscience of the people of Tamil Nadu,” Stalin said.
However, Stalin didn’t mention the delimitation bill in his statement, despite reports claiming that the issue had figured prominently in the discussions.
DMK’s stand
When they were in power in Tamil Nadu, the DMK had consistently argued that parliamentary delimitation based solely on population will reduce the representation of southern states in Parliament. Stalin had even convened a conference in Tamil Nadu, bringing together Chief Ministers of southern states to oppose such a move.
The DMK has long been one of the strongest opponents of delimitation, which it has held will adversely impact southern states.
However, following the split within the INDIA bloc after the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election, reports have suggested that the DMK may not oppose the delimitation exercise alongside the Congress during the current Parliament session.
P Wilson dismisses reports
Speaking to South First on July 17, DMK Rajya Sabha MP P Wilson rejected the reports outright.
“There is no such Bill in the upcoming Parliament session. All the reports regarding this issue and the DMK are completely false,” Wilson said.
DMK organising secretary RS Bharathi also confirmed this while speaking to South First. He said delimitation was not discussed during the party’s MPs’ meeting.
“We did not discuss anything about delimitation. We don’t know what the Bill is. We will decide our stand when it is tabled in Parliament. Yesterday’s meeting discussed only the Mekedatu issue,” Bharathi said.
What TKS Elangovan said
Ahead of the DMK MPs’ meeting, party spokesperson TKS Elangovan said the party is not seeking to stop the delimitation exercise altogether but wants to ensure that the existing number of Lok Sabha constituencies remains unchanged.
“Our stand on delimitation is that it can’t be stopped, but the number of constituencies should continue as of today,” he said.
Elangovan also stated, “There is no chance of us joining together with the Congress party for now.”
He further indicated that the party’s official position for the Monsoon Session was still under consideration.
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(Edited by R Rajesh Kumar.)
