Udhayanidhi Stalin slams NDA over delimitation, questions Amit Shah

Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister and DMK candidate for the Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni constituency, Udhayanidhi Stalin, slammed the NDA over the delimitation process to increase the number of seats in the Lok Sabha. Home Minister Amit Shah had earlier assured no discrimination against southern states, saying that Tamil Nadu's representation in the Lok Sabha will increase from 39 to 59. However, Udhayanidhi Stalin claimed that Tamil Nadu's share will be fixed at 47 seats in the Lower House of Parliament.

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During an election rally in Tiruppur, the DMK leader termed the 2026 Tamil Nadu polls a fight between Tamil Nadu and Delhi. He said, "The fight is between Tamil Nadu and Delhi. They don't release the funds that we ask for, and are betraying us. We may have seen a fanatical devotee, but have you ever seen a blind loyalist? They say it should be 59 through delimitation, but it has been fixed at only 47." Polling for Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu will take place on April 23, with counting of votes on May 4.

DMK leaders call delimitation a 'conspiracy'

Meanwhile, calling the current form of the Delimitation Bill, 2026 a "grand conspiracy" to diminish the representation and power of Southern states, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday called for its withdrawal, saying that the current form of the bill is "nothing short of a complete deception." Rejecting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah's assurances that representation of specific states will not be impacted, CM Stalin alleged that the text of the bill allows for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to redraw constituencies in whatever manner they choose through the newly introduced delimitation commission.

Amit Shah assures southern states

Earlier on Thursday, Union Minister Amit Shah assured that the representation of the southern states would not be affected by delimitation. Presenting numbers, Shah noted, "If we listen to the entire narrative created for the South, then out of the 543 seats created by you, 129 MPs currently sit in this House, which is approximately 23.76 per cent. In the new House, 195 MPs will be sitting here, and their power will be 23.97 per cent."

State-wise seat projections

Shah said Karnataka has 28 seats, and 5.15 per cent of the 543 seats in the House, and after the passage of the bill, the number of Karnataka MPs will increase from 28 to 42, and the percentage in the Lok Sabha will increase to 5.44. "Karnataka will not suffer any loss at all.

Andhra Pradesh has 25 seats, which is 4.60 per cent. After the passage of the bill, the number of MPs will increase from 25 to 38, which will be 4.65 per cent," he said.

"Tamil Nadu has 39 seats, which is 7.18 per cent. After the passage of the bill, the number of MPs will be 59, and their percentage in the new House of 816 will be 7.23 per cent. Tamil Nadu will also suffer no loss. Keralam has 20 seats, which is 3.68 per cent. After the passage of the bill, the number of MPs will be 30, and their percentage in the new House will be 3.67 per cent," he added.

Lok Sabha is conditioning discussion on the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026, which provides 33 per cent reservation to women in Parliament and State Assemblies, along with the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 extending it to Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir, and the Delimitation Bill, which is set to increase and redraw Lok Sabha constituencies, increasing them up to 850. (ANI)