Amit Shah Presents Data on Southern States' Lok Sabha Seat Gains Post-Delimitation
Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday presented detailed figures in the Lok Sabha regarding the expected share of five southern states following the proposed delimitation exercise. He asserted that their combined strength would increase from the existing 23.76% to 23.89% of the total Lok Sabha seats.
Countering Opposition Claims on Women's Quota Bill
Addressing what he termed a "misleading narrative" from the opposition regarding the Constitution amendment bill for women's reservation, Shah provided specific projections. He stated that Lok Sabha seats from Karnataka would rise significantly to 42 from the current 28, while Andhra Pradesh would see an increase to 38 from 25.
Further breakdowns included:
- Telangana: Rising to 26 seats from 17
- Tamil Nadu: Increasing to 59 from 39
- Kerala: Growing to 30 from 20
Shah emphasized that these projections represent approximately a 50% increase in representation for each of these southern states.
Overall Parliamentary Strength Projections
The Home Minister clarified that overall, the southern states would have 195 constituencies in the proposed Lok Sabha strength of 816, compared to just 129 in the current 543-seat Parliament. This presentation came shortly after Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra criticized the government's approach in her parliamentary speech.
When Congress MP K C Venugopal questioned the source of these figures since they weren't mentioned in the bill, Shah responded firmly, "I, the home minister of India, am saying so as I am piloting the delimitation bill." He promised to deliver a more detailed explanation on Friday that would be "so simple that even a KG student would understand it."
Defending Delimitation Process Integrity
With most opposition speakers accusing the government of planning to redraw parliamentary constituency boundaries for political advantage, Shah defended the process. He stated that delimitation would follow the same legal framework that various Congress governments had previously utilized.
"You might have manipulated it but I can assure you that we will not do it," Shah declared, adding that all assembly elections until 2029 would continue under the existing electoral pattern.
Strong Rebuttal on Democratic Mandate
The Home Minister delivered a powerful rebuttal to suggestions that the government could manipulate electoral outcomes. "Those who think we can manipulate the mandate of 130 crore people are overestimating our strength. If it could have been done, then we would never have won when you were in office," he stated.
Shah referenced historical precedent, noting that "even Emergency could not manipulate popular mandate." He concluded with a firm declaration about India's democratic resilience: "Nobody has the strength to finish off democracy in the country. Those who tried were finished instead."
