The first Joint Action Committee (JAC) meeting on delimitation, chaired by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president M K Stalin, began in Chennai on Saturday, gathering 14 leaders from at least five states. The meeting aimed to discuss the perceived threat posed by the upcoming delimitation of Lok Sabha seats to states with higher literacy rates and stronger economic growth.
However, the BJP staged a black flag protest, fiercely criticizing Stalin for allegedly ignoring pressing state issues like the Cauvery and Mullaiperiyar water-sharing disputes, and instead focusing on what they called a “corruption-hiding meeting.” BJP leader and former Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan questioned the motive behind the meeting, calling it an attempt to distract from the DMK’s governance failures and corruption scandals.
Soundararajan accused Stalin of using fear-mongering tactics and claimed the gathering was merely a smokescreen to divert attention from unresolved state issues. “So far, there’s no official announcement of delimitation by the Centre, and Home Minister Amit Shah has already assured Tamil Nadu will not be impacted. So, on what grounds is this meeting being held?” she asked, calling the assembly a “corruption hiding meeting.”
Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, on arrival, voiced concerns over the possibility of South India losing parliamentary seats, arguing that states like Karnataka have always followed population control measures and contributed significantly to national progress.
BJP national spokesperson C R Kesavan also attacked the DMK, accusing it of orchestrating a “delimitation drama” to divert public attention from corruption and policy failures. He called Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party’s position on the issue “opportunistic and pathetic.”
Leaders from Kerala, Telangana, Punjab, and others, including Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, Telangana CM Revanth Reddy, Punjab CM Bhagwant Singh Mann, and IUML leader P M A Salam, attended the meeting. Stalin described the meet as a “historic day for Indian federalism” and a “landmark moment” where 58 parties came together, leaving aside political differences for a united cause.
Calling it the start of a national movement, Stalin emphasized Tamil Nadu’s commitment to democracy and justice, saying that collective unity would lead to “fair delimitation.” But with opposition parties questioning the very premise of the meeting and accusing leaders of hiding behind political drama to avoid addressing corruption, the controversy around the gathering only deepens.
