PMK to Join TN Government's All-Party Delimitation Meeting on March 5
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Synopsis
The PMK has pledged support to the Tamil Nadu government against the reduction of Lok Sabha seats in the upcoming delimitation meeting set for March 5. Dr. S. Ramadoss emphasizes the need for increased representation, criticizing the proposed seat cuts based on population metrics.
Key Takeaways
- PMK to attend Tamil Nadu's all-party meeting on delimitation.
- Dr. S. Ramadoss advocates for increased Lok Sabha seats.
- Concerns raised about potential reduction of seats to 31 or 32.
- Call for fair representation based on population control success.
- Chief Minister M.K. Stalin warns against diminishing Tamil Nadu's influence.
Chennai, Feb 27 (NationPress) The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), representing the prominent Vanniyar community, has pledged its unwavering support to the Tamil Nadu government in opposing any reduction in the state's Lok Sabha seats.
On Thursday, PMK founder Dr. S. Ramadoss confirmed the party's participation in the all-party meeting scheduled for March 5, intended to address the delimitation issue.
He raised concerns regarding the suggested reallocation of constituencies based on population metrics.
Dr. Ramadoss emphasized his long-standing appeal for increasing the number of Lok Sabha seats to 1,000, asserting that an enhanced number of parliamentary representatives would fortify democracy.
However, recent reports suggest that the upcoming delimitation plan could slash Tamil Nadu’s representation to a mere 31 or 32 seats.
"Delimitation driven by population is inequitable. Southern states, Tamil Nadu included, have effectively managed population growth, which has benefitted both the state and the nation. Instead of facing penalties for this success, our representation ought to be augmented," he stated.
He further noted that if India’s total Lok Sabha seats are expanded to 721, Tamil Nadu’s share should increase to 52.
Likewise, with a total of 888 seats, the state should receive 64 seats to preserve its proportional representation of 7.2 percent.
Dr. Ramadoss expressed dissatisfaction with Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s comments on the matter, describing them as unclear.
The PMK has committed to support all initiatives by the Tamil Nadu government aimed at protecting the state's parliamentary representation. The party will actively engage in discussions during the all-party meeting.
On a related note, Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) coordinator Seeman declared on Wednesday that his party would boycott the March 5 meeting. He downplayed the necessity for an all-party discussion, asserting: "We have confronted numerous challenges independently. I addressed this matter in a report back in 2003. We no longer trust these parties or the government. We have been misled repeatedly by depending on such alliances. Therefore, we will tackle this issue on our own and will not attend the meeting."
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has accused the Central government of attempting to decrease Tamil Nadu’s Lok Sabha constituencies from 39 to 31, based on the latest census data. He cautioned that such actions would weaken Tamil Nadu’s presence in Parliament and diminish its voice on national topics.
He has invited 40 registered political parties to participate in the discussions at the Secretariat on March 5, focusing on the delimitation issue.
