Mann, Reddy to attend Stalin’s delimitation meet today
Key opposition leaders from across the country will convene in Chennai on Saturday to discuss the issue of delimitation and chart a strategy for the future.
The meeting, called by DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, will see the participation of at least a dozen opposition figures, including Pinarayi Vijayan (Kerala), Bhagwant Mann (Punjab) and Revanth Reddy (Telangana). Former Chief Ministers Jagan Mohan Reddy (Andhra Pradesh) and Naveen Patnaik (Odisha) will also attend.
Additionally, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, Telangana Congress president B Mahesh Kumar Goud, Kerala Congress president K Sudhakaran and Andhra Pradesh Congress president YS Sharmila will be present.
The Trinamool Congress late tonight decided to skip the meeting, a source said. While TMC supremo and Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is slated to leave for London tomorrow for a programme, none of her deputies from the TMC would take part in the meeting in Chennai.
The TMC feels the duplicate voter ID number issue is more important at this juncture as it is likely to have an impact on the Assembly elections in Bihar, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
Stalin’s Joint Action Committee (JAC) meeting in Chennai is expected to serve as a show of opposition unity against delimitation. The Centre has already clarified that states’ proportional representation in the expanded Lok Sabha will be retained.
Stalin has taken the lead on the issue ahead of Tamil Nadu’s 2026 Assembly elections. The prospect of population-based seat redistribution has sparked concerns, particularly in southern states, which fear losing political representation to northern states.
With states beyond the Hindi belt also worried about a decline in their political influence, the JAC’s first meeting on redrawing Lok Sabha boundaries is expected to push for a fair and balanced process.
Meanwhile, Stalin, earlier, in a post on X, said, “A historic day for Indian federalism! I extend my warmest welcome to leaders from Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, West Bengal and Punjab who are joining us for the Joint Action Committee meeting on fair delimitation. The all-party meeting on March 5 was a landmark moment, where 58 registered political parties of Tamil Nadu set aside their differences and came together for a singular cause — fair delimitation. This overwhelming consensus reflected Tamil Nadu’s unwavering commitment to democracy and justice.”
He added that Tamil Nadu’s initiative has grown into a national movement, with states across India joining hands to demand fair representation. “This is more than a meeting — it is the beginning of a movement that will shape the future of our country. Together, we will achieve Fair Delimitation!” Stalin asserted.
