DMK Boycotts CM Vijay's Delimitation Meet; Kanimozhi Calls It 'Political Drama'
Chennai: All 30 Members of Parliament from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) boycotted the all-party meeting on delimitation convened by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay here on Saturday. The meeting was called to deliberate on the state's strategy regarding the upcoming delimitation exercise, which is expected to redraw parliamentary and assembly constituencies based on population figures.
The DMK parliamentary party leader, K. Kanimozhi, described the meeting as a "political drama" intended to draw attention away from the Cauvery water crisis. In a statement, she noted that political parties across the state had been urging the government to convene an all-party meeting on the Mekedatu dam issue, but the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK)-led government had remained silent.
"The DMK general secretary had clearly laid out the condition that if the party was to participate in the meeting on delimitation, the TVK-led government should convene an all-party meeting on the Mekedatu dam," Ms. Kanimozhi said. Since the government did not heed the unanimous demand of the parties, the DMK chose to boycott the MPs' meeting, she explained.
Reiterating the DMK's position on delimitation, Ms. Kanimozhi said the party remains committed to protecting Tamil Nadu's representation and ensuring a fair delimitation process. She pointed out that the state's stance has already been articulated in resolutions adopted at earlier all-party meetings. "The DMK is steadfast in the protection of Tamil Nadu's representation and fair delimitation," she added.
Ms. Kanimozhi also questioned the timing of the Chief Minister's meeting, observing that no official announcement had been made about the introduction of a Delimitation Bill in the current session of Parliament. "In such a context, the Chief Minister's meeting on delimitation is pure drama, as there is nothing more to discuss on the issue," she charged.
The DMK leader further urged the Chief Minister to focus on the welfare of Cauvery delta farmers. If he genuinely cared for their rights, she said, he should send government representatives to submit the Assembly's resolution on the Cauvery issue to the Union Jal Shakti Minister, along with the state's MPs in Parliament.
The delimitation exercise has emerged as a contentious issue for southern states, which fear that a population-based reallocation of Lok Sabha seats could reduce their political weight. Tamil Nadu, having successfully implemented population control measures, has argued that the process should not penalise states that have performed well in this regard.
The all-party meeting convened by Chief Minister Vijay was part of an effort to forge consensus among political parties on this issue. However, the DMK's absence is significant, as the party holds all 30 Lok Sabha seats in the state, making it the largest opposition contingent from Tamil Nadu in Parliament.
The Cauvery water dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka has been a long-standing issue, with the Supreme Court having ruled on the sharing of water. Tamil Nadu has been pressing the central government to give its nod to the Mekedatu dam project proposed by Karnataka, citing the need for ensuring water security. The DMK and other parties have maintained that the project's approval would safeguard the state's interests.
The DMK's boycott has highlighted the political divide in the state over the prioritisation of issues, even as the delimitation debate continues to gain momentum nationally. At the time of filing this report, there was no official response from the state government or the TVK regarding Ms. Kanimozhi's allegations.
