Delimitation Will Protect South, Boost Women’s Reservation: MP Tejasvi Surya
New Delhi: BJP MP Tejasvi Surya has strongly backed the Narendra Modi government’s proposed delimitation and expansion of Lok Sabha seats, stating that the move will safeguard the interests of Southern states while strengthening women’s reservation and overall democratic representation.
Addressing the Lok Sabha, Surya described the initiative as a historic constitutional step, emphasizing that it is essential for implementing women’s reservation from 2029. He asserted that the process has been designed to ensure that the voice of Southern and smaller states remains protected.
He countered opposition concerns by stating that even with an increase in the total number of Lok Sabha seats, the proportional balance among states will remain intact. “This is not a redistribution of power but an expansion of democratic representation,” Surya said, adding that coalition dynamics and political equations will remain unchanged.
Explaining the framework, Surya noted that instead of reducing seats in some states to benefit others, the government has adopted a model of nearly 50% expansion across all states. This ensures that while the overall strength of the Lok Sabha increases, the relative share of each state remains stable.
Under the proposed framework, seat increases for Southern states are expected as follows: Tamil Nadu from 39 to 59, Karnataka from 28 to 42, Andhra Pradesh from 25 to 38, Telangana from 17 to 26, and Kerala from 20 to 30.
Surya dismissed opposition claims that the South’s voice would weaken, calling such arguments misleading and mathematically incorrect. He reiterated that as the size of the Lok Sabha grows, the majority threshold will also increase proportionally, ensuring no region loses political relevance.
He further clarified that delimitation is not a political maneuver but a constitutional mandate under Articles 81, 82, and 330A. With India’s growing population, he said, expanding parliamentary representation is both necessary and unavoidable, as MPs currently represent lakhs of citizens.
Surya also pointed out that had seats been redistributed without increasing the total number, Southern states would have faced significant losses. For instance, Kerala could have lost 5–6 seats under older models, whereas under the current proposal, it stands to gain 10 additional seats.
Criticizing the opposition, Surya said attempts to portray the move as “anti-South” are dishonest. He added that he would have been the first to oppose the proposal if it harmed Southern interests.
The BJP MP concluded by expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for ensuring both regional balance and greater political representation for women through the proposed framework.
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