In a bid to forge an united opposition against the delimitation exercise, the DMK has intensified its outreach to regional leaders, including those within the NDA. The party has engaged with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and other key figures to garner support. A DMK delegation, comprising Tamil Nadu Forest Minister K Ponmudi and Rajya Sabha MP Mohammed Abdullah Ismail, also met Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah at his Bengaluru residence as part of these efforts.
On Wednesday, the DMK delegation met with TDP state president Palla Srinivasa Rao in Vijayawada, extending an official invite from CM MK Stalin for the South Indian All-Party Leaders’ Meeting (JAC) on March 22. Later, they approached YSRCP, urging party chief and former Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan Mohan Reddy to participate in discussions on delimitation along with other affected stakeholders. Stalin had earlier spoken to Siddaramaiah over the phone, reinforcing inter-state cooperation on the issue.
Solidarity Against Delimitation
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday extended his support to the DMK-led opposition against the proposed delimitation of Parliamentary constituencies. During a meeting with a DMK delegation, Siddaramaiah accused the Central government of attempting to “weaken democracy and federalism.”
According to a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), the leaders discussed their ongoing protests against the “anti-democratic and anti-southern stance” of the Union government.
The Karnataka CM assured his full support to the movement against delimitation, calling for collective resistance from southern states. He emphasized that the Centre’s approach to the exercise disregards the principles of federalism and disadvantages southern states that have excelled in population control.
“We condemn without hesitation all the actions of the Central Government that are against the interests of Karnataka, weaken democracy and go against the federal principle of the Constitution. We made our stand clear that we will support the struggle on this issue,” the statement quoted Siddaramaiah as saying, as per a report on PTI.
#WATCH | Bengaluru, Karnataka: Tamil Nadu Forest Minister K. Ponmudi and Rajya Sabha member Mohamed Abdulla Ismail met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at Cauvery residence over delimitation and other issues
(Source: CMO) pic.twitter.com/nqqoGPO2TI
— ANI (@ANI) March 12, 2025
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On the proposed delimitation exercise, southern leaders argue that states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh have successfully controlled population growth and significantly contribute to the national economy, yet could lose parliamentary seats under the new proposal.
