Chennai, Mar 22 (UNI) The crucial Joint Action Committee (JAC) meeting involving representatives
from non-BJP ruled States which were likely to face reduction in the number of Lok Sabha seats
due to the proposed delimitation exercise based on population by the BJP-led Government at the
Centre, began in Chennai on Saturday.
Three Chief Ministers, a Deputy Chief Minister, former CMs and representatives of more than 20
political parties from nearly seven non-BJP ruled states, including all the Southern states, were in
attendance at the the meeting convened by the ruling DMK in line with the resolutions adopted at
an all-party meeting convened by it here on March five.
The leaders had started arriving since last night and some others landed this morning for the meeting
being held at the star hotel ITC Grand Chola in the city.
However, representatives of TDP led by Andhra Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy
Chief Minister and Jana Sena Party's Pawan Kalyan, who were also invited and scheduled to participate in the meeting, did not attend.
Top leaders from several states who could be affected by the delimitation, including Telangana Chief
Minister Revanth Reddy, his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann and Kerala counterpart Pinarayi
Vijayan, Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar were in attendance for the meeting convened by
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President M K Stalin.
The proposed exercise based on present population by the BJP Government at the Centre would
result in several states, including the southern states, facing reduction in number of Lok Sabha
seats, following which the meeting was being convened.
Apart from three Chief Ministers and the Deputy Chief Minister, former CMs and
representatives of more than 20 political parties from seven non-BJP ruled states,
including all the Southern states, participated in the meeting convened by the
DMK in line with the resolutions adopted at an all-party meeting convened by it
here on March five.
They attended the meeting based on the invitations extended personally by senior DMK leaders
to Chief Ministers and leaders of political parties on the directions of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister
and DMK President M.K. Stalin, who has taken the lead as TN stands to lose eight of the total
39 seats, reducing its parliamentary representation.
The southern states too stands to lose their parliamentary representation in view of the exercise.
After the meeting, a media meet with all leaders wil be held around noon in which the leaders
were expected to be held, announcing the decisions taken and the steps to carry forward the
stir against the proposed exercise.
Mr Stalin said the population-based exercise was aimed at punishing the states, which had
effectively implemented population-control measures and contributed significantly to Nation's
progress, development and growth.
Mr Stalin also urged them to nominate their nominees and attend the meeting convened by
the DMK to discuss the crucial issue of delimitation based on population which would tilt the
Parliamentary composition in favour of highly populated Northern States (Hindi belt region)
which had not strictly implemented population control measures and stands to gain higher
number of seats from the proposed exercise.
Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party leader Jagan Mohan Reddy,
Valla Srinivasa Rao of the ruling TDP, Biju Janata Dal leader Navin Patnaik also attended the
meeting, he said.
“Our Chief Minister sensed the dangers of the delimitation and invited Chief Ministers of seven
states to take part in the meeting and nominate their representatives to the JAC formed to carry
forward the agenda and create an awareness among the people", the DMK said.
The DMK MPs also raised the issue in Parliament, staged a walk out and also held a protest
demonstration in Parliament annex to condemn the Centre.
Meanwhile, in a video message ahead of the meeting, Mr Stalin said the delimitation
exercise based on population was a deliberate attempt to undermine certain states.
While urging the Centre to maintain status quo beyond 2026 for another 30 years on the issue,
Mr Stalin said the proposed delimitation will strike at the very foundation of federalism in India.
"It will erode the essence of democracy itself. Our voices in Parliament will be silenced. Our rights
will be compromised", he said.
"This is nothing short of a deliberate attempt to undermine certain States that have controlled their
population growth, governed efficiently, and contributed significantly to national progress and they
must not be punished by the Union Government", the Chief Minister said.
MORE UNI GV 1030