K T Rama Rao calls for representation based on fiscal contribution, opposing penalization of Southern states.
Chennai: Extending support to Chief Minister M K Stalin in his fight against the expected reduction of representation for Southern States in Parliament due to the proposed delimitation, the working president of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) K T Rama Rao proposed delimitation based on fiscal contribution to the nation.
In a message on X, Rama Rao said, ‘I totally agree with Stalin and strongly support him on this. You cannot penalize the Southern States for religiously implementing family planning when the nation needed it the most. To execute delimitation without considering the efforts of the States is not in the spirit of democracy or federalism.’
None can ignore the contributions of the southern States to nation-building, he said, adding Telangana constitutes 2.8 per cent of the country’s population but contributes to more than 5.22 per cent of the GDP.
Responding to Stalin’s call for an all-party meeting in the State to discuss the delimitation, TNCC president K Selvaperunthogai said that the all-party meeting called for March 5 will come up with decision to ensure that Tamil Nadu did not lose its strength in Parliament after delimitation.
Accusing the Union BJP government of victimizing the southern States in all ways possible in the last over one decade, Selvaperunthogai, in a statement, said that his party would stand by the Chief Minister in all his efforts to protect the rights of the State.
He wanted the delimitation process to be put off like it was done during the tenures of Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and A B Vajpayee without changing the number of seats in Parliament with the view to protect the rights of the States.
While the government has invited 45 registered political parties for the meeting, the BJP and the Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) have decided not to take part in it. BJP State President K Annamalai said that the Union Home Minister had already assured that there would be no loss for the State due to delimitation and that the meeting was a needless one.
NTK Chief Coordinator Seeman said that his party would deal with the issue on its own and did not want to be part of a collective decision taken at the all-party meeting. The Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam, which had its first anniversary celebration on Wednesday did not express any view on it.
