'Delimitation based on fiscal contribution': BRS backs Stalin on 'injustice' to southern states

BRS working president KT Rama Rao has backed Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin on the delimitation issue. (File Photo: PTI)

The Bharatiya Rashtra Samiti led by former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has come out in support of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on his "efforts to ensure justice" for southern states amid concerns over decreased representation in the Lok Sabha following the delimitation exercise.

BRS working president KT Rama Rao said that the Centre cannot penalize southern states for religiously implementing family planning measures at a time when the nation needed it the most.

Tamil Nadu CM Stalin has called an all-party meeting on March 5 to discuss the issue of delimitation, saying it is “hanging over southern states like a sword”. The announcement came just days after he said Tamil Nadu is facing a potential decrease in its parliamentary seats due to its family planning measures.

Responding to Stalin’s call for fair, transparent and equitable approach in the delimitation process, KTR said that implementing delimitation without considering the efforts of the southern states would go against the spirit of democracy or federalism and mooted the exercise be carried out based on a state's fiscal contribution to the nation instead of population.

"If the Centre is keen on implementing delimitation – I propose delimitation based on the fiscal contributions to the nation," he asserted.

KTR further said that the contribution of southern states including Telangana towards nation building cannot be ignored and reminded that Telangana contributes more than 5.2 percent of the nation’s GDP despite accounting for just 2.8 percent of its population.

Delimitation, the exercise that draws constituencies’ boundaries and decides its numbers, is expected to be held after the new Census exercise, which is much-delayed. As per the delimitation calendar set earlier, this was to happen by 2026, the same year Tamil Nadu faces Assembly elections.

The Centre, on its part, has sought to allay fears over loss of seats due to the delimitation exercise with Union Home Minister Amit Shah stating on Wednesday that the Centre was fully committed towards ensuring that states are not disadvantaged due to delimitation exercise. No state would lose seats as a result of delimitation, he assured categorically.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also cited delimitation as an example to counter the Congress' pitch of "jitni aabadi utna haq" to press for a pan-India caste census.

"The country is now talking about the next delimitation. It will mean that wherever the population is less, the Lok Sabha seats will come down, and rise where the population is high… The southern states have achieved remarkable progress in population control, but will stand to lose heavily if the Congress’s new idea of rights in proportion to population is implemented… South India stands to lose 100 Lok Sabha seats," Modi said addressing a rally in October 2023.

The delimitation exercise has been carried out four times – 1952, 1963, 1973 and 2002 – in the history of Independent India. Article 82 of the Constitution states that after every Census is completed, the allocation of Lok Sabha seats to each state must be adjusted based on population changes.