Delimitation Bill: Kavitha warns against punishing Southern states

Telangana Jagruthi President Kavitha Kalvakuntla objected to the Delimitation bill, warning against the political disenfranchisement of South Indian states. She demanded Telangana's representation be a floor, not a ceiling, and vowed to fight it.

Telangana Jagruthi President Kavitha Kalvakuntla on Wednesday raised objections over the proposed Delimitation bill, asserting that the political weight of South Indian states must be protected against any potential demographic imbalance.

In a post on X, Kavitha emphasised that for decades, the South has led the nation in economic growth and family planning, for which it should be rewarded, not punished with political disenfranchisement. "The voice of the people of Telangana cannot be diluted under the guise of delimitation. Our position is non-negotiable: the proportional representation of Telangana and by extension, South Indian states must be protected. For decades, the South has led the nation in economic growth and family planning; we should be rewarded for this progress, not punished with political disenfranchisement," Kavitha said.

"Currently, Telangana holds a 3.13% share in Parliament. While we already find this representation to be at the bare minimum, our way forward is centered on one core demand: this 3.13% must be the floor, not the ceiling," she said.

Warning of a Widespread Movement

Further, Kavitha vows to take the fight against the delimitation from the "halls of Parliament to every street". "If the BJP-led center attempts to weaken our democratic stake, let it be known: they are inviting a movement of the same scale and intensity as the Telangana Agitation. We will take this fight from the halls of Parliament to every street in our state. We will fight this demographic injustice tooth and nail, and we will not retreat until the political sovereignty of Telangana is fully secured," she said.

BRS Working President Echoes Concerns

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Working President KT Rama Rao issued a strong warning to the Central Government over the issue of delimitation of constituencies. He cautioned that if the process results in reduced representation for Southern states, it would not remain merely a political or legislative exercise but could spark a widespread public agitation across South India. KTR reiterated that the party's stance on delimitation has remained unchanged for the past three years, emphasising that BRS continues to stand firmly by the position it had adopted earlier.

Centre's Delimitation Proposal

This comes as the central government has proposed increasing the number of Lok Sabha seats to 850 as part of its intention to implement the Women's Reservation Act from the 2029 Lok Sabha polls, with 815 seats proposed to the states and the remaining 35 for the Union Territories, according to sources.

The Lok Sabha has 543 seats at present. The government intends to move a Constitution amendment bill for the implementation of a 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha from 2029 in a special sitting of Parliament on April 16, 17,18. (ANI)

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