MK Stalin has called an all-party meeting on March 5 to discuss the proposed Lok Sabha delimitation and three-language policy, but the BJP will boycott the meeting.
Amid the discussion over the proposed Lok Sabha delimitation exercise and the three-language policy, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has called an all-party meeting on March 5, inviting 45 political parties to discuss concerns over the policy. Meanwhile, the BJP has strongly rejected the proposal and decided to boycott the meeting.
Writing to Stalin, Annamalai said his party firmly believed that he has misconstrued the delimitation exercise and has convened the all party meeting to "spread your imaginary fears and deliberately lie about it," even before any official statement was made.
Pointing to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's statement that no state would be "undermined," and that the exercise shall be on a pro rata basis, the Tamil Nadu BJP chief told to Stalin: "You must understand that the announcement for the delimitation exercise will be made at an appropriate time by the delimitation commission and it is disheartening to notice that you have still not learnt lessons from the lies you spread when one nation one election was announced and later when those got debunked."
"We are not sure if you are privy to a confidential document indicating this actual number of 848 seats and we kindly request that you make the document public for the benefit of the people of Tamil Nadu, Annamalai stated, asquoted by PTI.
Annamalai said that the INDIA bloc's campaign line had been "Jitne Abadhi Utni Haq," and (Rights proportional to the population) in 2023 and PM Narendra Modi had hit back saying it would hurt the southern states which effectively implemented population control measures.
Wondering why the "imaginary fear" was not taken by the DMK in the Lok Sabha during the recent budget session, Annamalai, referring to Stalin's claim that the number of seats in the Lok Sabha was set to go up to 848, asked the basis for that claim.
Annamalai slammed Stalin by asking him if it was not his duty to validate and verify before making a statement.
"On behalf of BJP Tamil Nadu, I wish to inform you that you have failed to inform people on the source of your information that the delimitation exercise would be carried out based on population. Since this is an imaginary and baseless fear you are spreading, we have decided not to participate in the all-party meeting convened on March 5, 2025."
Also, the BJP leader informed Stalin that his party would launch on March 5 its signature campaign in support of the 3-language policy.
Reports suggest that the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIDMK) will attend the all-party meeting.
According to an India Today report, AIADMK general secretary Edapaddi K. Palaniswami has said that two representatives from the party would take part in the meeting in Chennai and would explain in detail the party's stand. BJP's ally, the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), too, has announced it will take part in the crucial meeting.
Meanwhile, most political parties in Tamil Nadu fear that delimitation of parliamentary constituencies will reduce the number of seats in the state.