CHENNAI — A dispute between Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK and its former ally Congress over the proposed delimitation of parliamentary constituencies has intensified, with DMK lawmaker Dayanidhi Maran accusing Congress of taking an inconsistent position on the exercise.
Maran said on Monday that Congress was opposing delimitation in Tamil Nadu while remaining silent in states it governs. He specifically referred to Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, a Congress leader, who has backed the prospect of greater parliamentary representation through delimitation. Maran questioned whether Congress would challenge Reddy's position.
The remarks followed a meeting convened in Tamil Nadu by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to discuss the potential impact of delimitation. Congress lawmakers attended the meeting, while MPs from the DMK and several other parties, including AIADMK, did not participate.
The disagreement marks a shift from the parties' earlier cooperation on the issue. The DMK has previously campaigned against a population-based redistribution of parliamentary seats, arguing that states such as Tamil Nadu that reduced population growth could lose political representation. In April, Maran said DMK lawmakers would oppose a delimitation bill in Parliament.
The party subsequently adopted a more cautious position after the 2026 Tamil Nadu assembly election. In July, DMK said it would decide its position after the government introduced the proposed legislation and the party could examine its provisions.
Congress has also expressed concern about the implications of delimitation for southern states. Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram has argued that the exercise could reduce Tamil Nadu's share of parliamentary representation rather than increase it, while calling for opposition parties to maintain a united position.
The latest confrontation also comes after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticized any possible support for a government proposal combining an expansion of the Lok Sabha with delimitation, saying such backing would amount to a betrayal of Tamil Nadu's interests. The DMK subsequently criticized Gandhi's position and accused Congress of putting political considerations ahead of regional interests.
No final delimitation bill has been introduced in Parliament, and the DMK has said it will take its formal position after examining the government's text. The disagreement between the two parties therefore remains focused on how the exercise should proceed and how Tamil Nadu's representation should be protected.
