New Delhi, Mar 22, 2025, IANS

New Delhi, March 22 (IANS) BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi while speaking on the delimitation issue on Saturday, emphasised that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin's attempt to turn delimitation into a political issue is unwise and there should be no political agenda. However, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP, Priyanka Chaturvedi expressed concerns about the possible impact of delimitation based on the upcoming Census. Speaking to IANS, Naqvi remarked, "The Opposition members should remember that delimitation was carried out during the Congress' era across various large states. The formula for delimitation takes into account multiple factors, including social conditions, population status, and geographical aspects of a region. Delimitation is carried out systematically based on these considerations." Naqvi further added, "Delimitation is not a new issue, and it is being discussed within the framework of multiple factors, including the social, demographic, and geographical realities of the region. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin's attempt to turn delimitation into a political issue is unwise. "Politicians should engage in debates on delimitation with logical arguments and facts, not by creating confusion or contradictions. The process must be handled with seriousness and responsibility, and attempts to politicise it will not succeed." On the other hand, Priyanka Chaturvedi expressed concerns about the possible impact of delimitation based on the upcoming Census in 2026. She said, "The issue of delimitation is not a recent one, it has been kept on hold for many years. The concerns are that the delimitation will be based on the new Census, and some states could either gain or lose political representation based on population changes. This is a critical matter, delimitation should ensure fairness in seat allocation, and citizens should benefit from welfare schemes, not suffer due to political games." She called for a non-political discussion in Parliament to resolve the matter. The issue of delimitation has become a central topic of political debate after Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister MK Stalin convened a crucial meeting to discuss the potential consequences of the delimitation process. Stalin claimed that fair delimitation is essential for protecting the state's political rights, and what began as a Tamil Nadu initiative has now evolved into a national movement. In his remarks, CM Stalin pointed out that South Indian states, including Tamil Nadu, might lose political representation in the Lok Sabha if the delimitation is based solely on population figures. He added that after the meeting, his party's MPs and ministers have been in contact with other political leaders and chief ministers to form a united front. The delimitation process, which is due in 2026, has raised fears in some quarters, particularly among South Indian states, about potential seat losses. However, the central government has dismissed these fears, assuring that there will be no reduction in the number of seats for Tamil Nadu and other states.