Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday criticized Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s assurance that the delimitation process would not disadvantage Southern states, calling it “not trustworthy.”
Siddaramaiah argued that Shah’s statement seemed aimed at creating confusion in the southern states rather than providing clarity.
“Going by the home minister’s vague remarks, it seems that either he lacks proper information or there is a deliberate intent to disadvantage the southern states, including Karnataka, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh,” he said.
The Karnataka CM demanded clarity on whether the delimitation exercise would be based on the latest population figures or the existing 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 the current number of Lok Sabha seats,” he stated.
Siddaramaiah argued that basing delimitation on recent census figures would be a major injustice to the South. “To prevent such unfairness, previous delimitation exercises were conducted using the 1971 census as the basis, following constitutional amendments.”
He highlighted that Southern states had successfully controlled population growth while achieving significant economic progress. “Meanwhile, northern states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh have failed to regulate population growth and continue to lag in development,” he added.
“If delimitation is based on the latest census, Southern states, including Karnataka, may see a reduction or stagnation in their Lok Sabha seats, while Northern states will gain more. In either scenario, the Southern states will bear the loss. Is the Home Minister unaware of this?” Siddaramaiah questioned.
Referring to various studies, he pointed out the possible impact of delimitation:
- Karnataka’s seats could decrease from 28 to 26.
- Andhra Pradesh’s seats could drop from 42 to 34.
- Kerala’s seats could reduce from 20 to 12.
- Tamil Nadu’s seats could fall from 39 to 31.
Meanwhile, states in the North could see an increase:
- Uttar Pradesh’s seats could rise from 80 to 91.
- Bihar’s seats could increase from 40 to 50.
- Madhya Pradesh’s seats could grow from 29 to 33.
“If this is not injustice, what is?” Siddaramaiah asked.
He demanded a fair approach, suggesting that either the 1971 Census should continue to be used or the total number of Lok Sabha seats should be increased proportionally instead of relying solely on population figures.
“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 claimed.
Siddaramaiah accused the central government of repeatedly targeting Karnataka. “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.
He further alleged that the BJP-led central government was using delimitation as a tool to silence Southern states in Parliament.
Siddaramaiah announced that discussions were already underway with neighboring Southern states to launch a coordinated movement against these perceived injustices.