Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has strongly criticised the proposed delimitation exercise, alleging that it disproportionately benefits BJP-ruled northern states while sidelining southern states like Karnataka.
In a post on X, Siddaramaiah said he “welcomes” Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks on delimitation but questioned the timing, calling it “election-driven messaging” aimed at states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu..
He clarified that the issue is not about increasing Lok Sabha seats, but about how the increase is distributed and who benefits the most. According to him, the proposed expansion clearly favours BJP-dominated states.
He pointed out that Uttar Pradesh is expected to increase its seats from 80 to 120 (+40), Maharashtra from 48 to 72 (+24), Bihar from 40 to 60 (+20), Madhya Pradesh from 29 to 43–44 (+14–15), Rajasthan from 25 to 37–38 (+12–13), and Gujarat from 26 to 39 (+13).
In contrast, southern states would see relatively smaller gains — Karnataka from 28 to 42 (+14), Tamil Nadu from 39 to 58–59 (+20), Andhra Pradesh from 25 to 37–38 (+12–13), Telangana from 17 to 25–26 (+8–9), and Kerala from 20 to 30 (+10).
Siddaramaiah highlighted that while five southern states together gain around 63–66 additional seats, seven BJP-ruled states could gain nearly double — around 128–131 seats.
He further noted that even after expanding the Lok Sabha to 816 seats, the southern states’ share would remain around 24%, unchanged despite their better performance in population control and governance.
“Karnataka, a key contributor to national growth, risks being deliberately sidelined,” he said, questioning what the state stands to gain if its relative share remains stagnant while larger states gain numerical dominance.
The Chief Minister warned that the gap in representation would widen significantly, with Uttar Pradesh’s lead over Karnataka increasing from 52 seats to 78, and Maharashtra’s lead rising from 20 to 30 seats.
Calling the move a “blatant assault on federalism,” Siddaramaiah accused the Centre of attempting to concentrate power and weaken the voice of southern states.
He stressed that such a major structural change cannot be implemented without wider consultation and public debate, especially at a time when the country faces economic and global challenges.
Siddaramaiah concluded by asserting that Karnataka and other states committed to federal principles will strongly oppose any attempt to dilute their representation and voice in Parliament.
