Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday embraced the Centre’s proposed delimitation process, warning that it risked skewing parliamentary representation in favor of the northern states, ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while diminishing the relative voice of the South.
These statements come amid renewed controversy over the demarcation of borders and the redrawing of parliamentary electoral districts based on population, which is expected after the end of the current freeze on the allocation of Lok Sabha seats after the next census cycle. The freeze, in place since the 1970s to encourage population control, means that countries with slower population growth do not lose representation – a balance that could change dramatically in the next exercise.
In a strongly worded statement, Siddaramaiah directly questioned the intent behind Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s talk on the issue. “I welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has finally opened his mouth on the proposed delimitation exercise. This sudden interest in ‘reassurance’ of southern states looks less like statesmanship and more like election-driven messaging, which is well timed with political calculations in states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu,” he said.
He stressed that the discussion was not about increasing seats, but rather about how to distribute those increases. “Let us be clear: the issue was never about whether the number of Lok Sabha seats in the southern states would increase. The concern is about how they will be increased – and who benefits disproportionately,” he said.
Detailing the expected changes, Siddaramaiah pointed to what he described as a clear imbalance. Uttar Pradesh may see its number of seats rise from 80 to 120 seats, Maharashtra from 48 to 72 seats, Bihar from 40 to 60 seats, and other northern states recording significant gains. In contrast, southern states will see smaller increases, with Karnataka rising from 28 to 42 seats, while other states will see similar but limited growth.
“The numbers are telling. Five southern states barely get 63-66 more seats, while these seven BJP-dominated states only win about 128-131 seats – almost double,” he said.
Even with the proposed expansion of Lok Sabha to 816 seats, he said the South’s overall share would remain largely unchanged.
“Even after the Lok Sabha expansion to 816 seats, the collective share of southern states remains around 24% – unchanged and already modest. States that have performed better in population control and governance are being penalized, and Karnataka – the main engine of national growth – risks being deliberately marginalized,” he said.
He warned that disparities between states would widen further under the plan. “The result is a widening imbalance. Today, Uttar Pradesh has 52 more seats than Karnataka – and this gap will increase to 78 seats. Maharashtra’s lead over Karnataka will widen from 20 to 30 seats. This is not just expansion; it is a concentration of power,” he said.
Terming the proposal a violation of federal principles, Siddaramaiah added: “This is not cooperative federalism – it is another blatant assault on federalism, designed to concentrate power and silence states like Karnataka. Having failed to gain the trust of the people of the South, the Modi government is now trying to dilute our voice through a manipulative restructuring of representation.”
He also criticized the lack of consultation on what he described as structural change that has long-term consequences. “Such structural change cannot be pushed without consultations or public debate. At a time of economic and global challenges, the Union government is focusing more on political calculations over national priorities,” he said.
Reiterating his government’s stance, Siddaramaiah said: “The people of Karnataka and everyone who believes in federalism deserve justice, respect and transparency. We will strongly oppose any attempt to weaken our voice.”
Karnataka Opposition Leader R Ashoka said the statement was an admission of the Congress party’s declining prospects in several key states. Responding to Siddaramaiah’s description of parts of India as “BJP-dominated”, Ashoka said the Prime Minister’s framing of the issue revealed more than intended. “It is very refreshing to see Siddaramaiah approach the demarcation debate with such unusual frankness. By repeatedly describing large parts of India as ‘BJP-dominated states’, he may have inadvertently made a rather revealing admission,” he said.
Ashoka said the comments indicate that the Congress has effectively ceded the political ground in states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat. “By basing his entire argument on the assumption that these states will always remain under BJP control, Siddaramaiah appears to have waved the white flag on behalf of the Congress in these areas,” he said.
He also stressed that the statements reflect a deeper pessimism within the party about its electoral future. “This sounds less like a criticism of demarcation and more like a vote of no confidence in his party’s prospects under the leadership of the Gandhi family,” Ashoka said.
Ashoka rejected the idea of ”hegemony” and attributed the BJP’s position in those states to voter support. “What he calls ‘hegemony’ is actually something much simpler – the mandate of the people. Under Narendra Modi’s leadership, voters across these states have repeatedly chosen the BJP,” he added.
