Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay seems to have softened his hardline stand on the contentious delimitation issue inside per week. And the opposition is in no temper to let him off the hook after the Tamil Nadu meeting handed a much-hyped decision in opposition to the redrawing of parliamentary constituencies on August 12. On the coronary heart of the row is Vijay’s choice to not point out the important thing demand of southern states – a everlasting freeze of the Lok Sabha’s power at 543 seats – through the zonal council assembly with Union Dwelling Minister Amit Shah.
The opposition has alleged that the shift in Vijay’s position on delimitation got here after his late-night assembly with Amit Shah on Wednesday. It was Vijay’s first assembly with the Dwelling Minister after changing into the chief minister. The TVK chief was seen giving a heat welcome to Shah, with consultants seeing it as a glimpse into his model of statecraft – a non-confrontational relationship with the Centre.
DID VIJAY SOFTEN DELIMITATION STAND?
In a calibrated comment at the 31st Southern Zonal Council meeting, Vijay mentioned every state’s present share of parliamentary illustration must be protected. The Tamil Nadu CM urged the Centre to offer a transparent legislative assurance on the identical.
“I urge the Centre to offer a transparent legislative assurance that no state will endure a discount in its share of illustration in Parliament on account of its success in inhabitants stabilisation,” Vijay mentioned.
Apparently, the decision in opposition to delimitation sought a everlasting freeze on the Lok Sabha’s whole power at 543 and retaining the present state-wise allocation of seats. It argued that southern states shouldn’t be penalised for succeeding in inhabitants management.
Nevertheless, sitting beside Amit Shah on the zonal council assembly, Vijay didn’t repeat his earlier demand for a 543-seat ceiling.
As an alternative, he struck a extra nuanced observe, specializing in defending the share share of illustration loved by states, moderately than freezing absolutely the variety of seats.
The distinction is critical. Primarily, Vijay’s newest pitch seems to depart room for an growth within the whole variety of Lok Sabha seats, supplied the relative political weight of southern states, akin to Tamil Nadu, doesn’t get diluted.
That is what has rankled the opposition and sparked an uproar from parties like the DMK, which accused Vijay of a sudden “U-turn” after the late-night assembly with Amit Shah.
Chennai-based political professional TR Jawahar informed IndiaToday.in that it was undoubtedly a “important softening of stand” by Vijay on delimitation.
“From the robust, particular and unanimous meeting decision place to a imprecise plea for safeguards. It not solely lends credence to allegations of strain from the Centre, however will ruffle allies too,” Jawahar mentioned.
Nevertheless, he underlined that Vijay may need taken a cautious method because the recent delimitation invoice had not been tabled in Parliament but.
“Vijay isn’t very confrontational. That’s a part of his statecraft. However one has to attend to see how Vijay responds in Meeting or by a public assertion,” Jawahar mentioned.
WHAT ARE THE SOUTH’S CONCERNS ON DELIMITATION?
The event comes amid the Centre’s renewed push to get help for the delimitation invoice, which it has linked to the implementation of girls’s reservation in Parliament and state assemblies.
Being a constitutional modification invoice, the BJP-led authorities would require two-thirds help to get it handed in Lok Sabha. A earlier try and move the Structure (131st Modification) Invoice was defeated by a united opposition in April.
The invoice sought to redraw constituencies primarily based on the 2011 Census – a key flashpoint between the opposition and the BJP. The BJP, in the meantime, has pointed to the Structure, which states that the freeze on allocation of seats primarily based on the 1971 Census will finish after the primary Census is performed after 2026.
Now, Tamil Nadu and different southern states have argued that linking the delimitation train to the 2011 Census would unfairly profit the North, the place inhabitants progress has been increased. The southern states have traditionally carried out higher in inhabitants management.
Thus, they worry it will not solely outcome within the South shedding its voice in Parliament, however it may also lose out on tax devolution.
Based on sources, the Centre has stored its choice open for calling a particular session on the delimitation invoice. The federal government has underlined that the Monsoon session was adjourned sine die, and had not been “prorogued” or completely ended.
‘WILL RAHUL GANDHI CALL VIJAY A TRAITOR?’
In the meantime, Chief Minister Vijay’s obvious softening of stance on the problem has drawn sharp hearth from the DMK and the AIADMK.
Addressing reporters, DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran recounted that a couple of weeks in the past, a “huge nationwide occasion” referred to as DMK “traitors of Tamil Nadu” amid buzz that the occasion would change its stance on the delimitation invoice.
“Additionally they mentioned the delimitation invoice might be tabled within the Monsoon session and that the DMK will change its stance. When the press approached us, we mentioned the DMK has by no means modified its stance,” Maran mentioned, in a veiled dig on the Congress.
Coaching his weapons on CM Vijay, the DMK MP mentioned, “When the Chief Minister met Amit Shah, his stand modified. After two resolutions – one on the all-party MPs’ assembly and one within the Meeting – looking for no delimitation, Vijay modified his stand to looking for truthful delimitation. Will Rahul Gandhi name Vijay a traitor?”
The AIADMK additionally attacked the TVK authorities over the flip-flop on delimitation, calling it an entire “U-turn”.
“What you might be saying now is identical factor the Union authorities mentioned. Why conduct such a decision drama simply to flip-flop like this?” the AIADMK mentioned in a publish on X.
AMMK chief TTV Dhinakaran additionally lashed out at Vijay, asserting that the “decision drama” staged by the TVK authorities within the meeting to divert consideration from Tamil Nadu’s main points “has been uncovered”.
The TVK’s IT wing, in a publish on X, nonetheless, emphasised that there was no change within the occasion’s stance.
For now, the controversy over delimitation has acquired a brand new layer of intrigue following Vijay’s obvious softening of stance on the problem. The political storm is barely prone to intensify.
(With inputs from Himanshu Mishra)
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