Now Reading: DMK leader says party will decide on delimitation only after seeing bill
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DMK leader says party will decide on delimitation only after seeing bill
DMK leader says party will decide on delimitation only after seeing bill
DMK leader R S Bharathi said the party will take a call on the Delimitation Bill only after it is tabled in Parliament. He called any decision before reviewing the finalised bill…
The Story in Brief
DMK leader R S Bharathi said the party will take a call on the Delimitation Bill only after it is tabled in Parliament. He called any decision before reviewing the finalised bill 'early and premature'. The Delimitation Bill, 2026, proposes expanding the Lok Sabha from 543 to 816 seats. The Union government has said southern states will not lose their proportionate share. For instance, Tamil Nadu's seats would rise from 39 to 59, keeping its share at about 7.2 per cent.
Hours later, DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin clarified that the party remains opposed to the bill, contradicting reports that the DMK had offered conditional support. 'The DMK has always opposed delimitation. We will continue to oppose it,' he said on Friday. The clarification followed a report in The Hindu that the DMK had softened its stand. The government had earlier failed to secure a two-thirds majority for the bill in April 2026.
The Indian Opinion
The DMK's conflicting signals on the Delimitation Bill show a party trying to have it both ways, publicly opposing the bill while privately negotiating carve-outs. The talk of 'conditional support' suggests the DMK knows that outright opposition might leave it with no say in a bill that is likely to pass. The real test will come when the final bill is tabled: will the DMK actually vote no, or will it find a way to say yes? The numbers in the well of the House will settle the question.
Sources (2): newindianexpress.com, nationalheraldindia.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
