Chennai: Former Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai on Tuesday alleged that Chief Minister M K Stalin was spreading fear with “false” claims about parliamentary seat changes, insisting there was no possibility of the state losing MPs.
Speaking to reporters in Chennai, Annamalai said that under a delimitation exercise, Tamil Nadu’s Lok Sabha seats could rise from 39 to 59. He argued that if seats were reallocated strictly on a population basis, Tamil Nadu’s tally would instead drop from 39 to 31, and Kerala’s would fall from 20 to 12.
Annamalai said the Centre was not proceeding on a population-only formula and claimed the government was looking to increase the overall strength of the Lok Sabha in a way that would not disadvantage any state. Citing remarks made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi, he said a 50% increase from the current 543 MPs would take the total to 816.
He also criticised the DMK for not taking what he called a constructive stand on the 33% reservation for women, and said the decision was taken after consultations with political parties and legal experts. Annamalai urged the Chief Minister to stop, in his view, unnecessary rhetoric and instead offer constructive suggestions.
