Published Apr 14, 2026 | 10:44 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 14, 2026 | 11:47 PM
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy.
Synopsis: Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to build a national consensus on increasing Lok Sabha seats, after a draft bill proposed raising the strength from 548 to 850. He said a population-based increase would reduce the representation of southern states and distort the federal balance. Reddy proposed a hybrid model based on population and economic performance, and called on his counterparts in southern states to come together and present a united opposition.
Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to “build a national political consensus on increasing seats in the Lok Sabha” after a draft bill proposing an increase in the Lok Sabha’s size from the current 548 to 850 came to light on Tuesday, 14 April.
In a detailed letter to Modi, Revanth said the southern states, “despite their substantial contribution to the national economy, will witness a relative erosion of their voice in Parliament, while states with higher population growth in a northern-central belt will gain disproportionately” if the policy is implemented.
“The proposal to increase Lok Sabha seats on either a population or pro rata model is not acceptable to many states, among them southern states. I wish to bring to your notice our serious concerns regarding the proposal to increase Lok Sabha seats, which, if done on a pro rata basis, is fraught with dangers for the country,” the chief minister wrote.
He reiterated his and the Congress party’s support for the women’s reservation bill but said women’s reservation and delimitation were being “deliberately mixed as if they are compulsorily interconnected, which they are not.”
The Congress leader repeated his earlier suggestion of a ‘hybrid model’ in which seats are allocated based on both population and economic contribution.
In separate letters to the chief ministers of southern states, Revanth also called for collective engagement on the issue to ensure the “democratic principle of representation and give all states and regions a fair voice in national governance.”
Dear Shri @narendramodi Ji
I am writing this open letter to you in response to the latest proposal to increase Lok Sabha seats to 850.#LokSabhaDelimitation pic.twitter.com/4M566g78kU
— Revanth Reddy (@revanth_anumula) April 14, 2026
Also Read: MK Stalin issues ‘final warning’ to PM Modi over delimitation plans
Revanth Reddy noted that the proposal to increase Lok Sabha seats, without considering economic contribution and socio-human development outcomes, would “lead to a severe and irreversible distortion in the federal balance of our country.”
“It is very clear that the Centre has not fully or carefully analysed or assessed the consequences of this proposal, especially for the southern states. The southern states of Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry and Kerala, over the past several decades, have consciously adopted policies aimed at population stabilisation, improved public health, and higher human development outcomes,” he said in his letter to Modi.
“These efforts were undertaken in alignment with national priorities and have contributed significantly to India’s overall progress. However, under the present proposal, these very states are being structurally disadvantaged and politically disempowered. The consequence of a pro rata model is not merely a statistical adjustment; it will result in a systemic shift in political power.”
He said the question was not about numbers, but about “equity, fairness, and the integrity of the nation itself.” He warned that “any attempt to proceed without addressing these concerns will inevitably lead to widespread opposition and resistance, as it touches upon the fundamental principle of fair representation.”
Reiterating his earlier proposal for a fairer model, Revanth urged the Centre to consider allotting only half of the additional seats, after the increase to 850 Lok Sabha seats, on a pro rata basis.
“The remaining half must be based on economic contribution and other performance criteria. This is just one suggestion, a possible approach,” he said, urging the Centre to convene an all-party meeting at the earliest to discuss the matter in a transparent manner.
Also Read: Siddaramaiah calls out PM Modi’s ‘assurance’ that South won’t lose Lok Sabha seats in delimitation
Revanth Reddy also urged Chief Ministers Siddaramaiah, Pinarayi Vijayan, MK Stalin and N Chandrababu Naidu, to come together to deliver a united opposition.
“Given the magnitude of this issue, it is clear that a fragmented response will not suffice. There is a growing need for collective engagement among southern states, and indeed all like-minded states, to ensure that our concerns are articulated effectively at the national level,” he wrote.
He said the new bill is “a political injustice, over and above continued financial and policy discrimination.”
“As you are aware, in the matter of financial devolution, we are facing severe financial injustice, bias and discrimination, wherein while Bihar receives over ₹6.69 for each rupee it contributes, your state of Karnataka gets only 15 paisa. This is just an example of the South-North divide that we have faced for decades,” he added.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, responding to Revanth in a post on X, wrote:
“Dear brother, our unity is to protect our state rights and secure a just and equitable future for our generations to come. The South will stand together, speak with one voice, and uphold the true spirit of federalism.”
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
