Kanimozhi slams AIADMK over delimitation Bill support

Kanimozhi Karunanidhi criticised AIADMK for supporting a delimitation-linked bill, alleging it harms Tamil Nadu’s interests. She backed immediate women’s reservation without delimitation, while claiming Opposition unity blocked the Centre’s proposal in Parliament

Chennai: Kanimozhi Karunanidhi on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam for supporting the delimitation Bill brought by the Bharatiya Janata Party, alleging that the move went against the interests of Tamil Nadu and other southern States.

Speaking to reporters at Chennai airport in the early hours after arriving from Delhi, the DMK leader said the reported failure of the Bill in Parliament had come as a major relief to the people of Tamil Nadu and the southern region.

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She asserted that the proposed legislation had triggered widespread concern over its potential impact on political representation in the South. Kanimozhi highlighted that M. K. Stalin had taken the lead in opposing the move by writing to Chief Ministers of southern States and convening a high-level meeting in Chennai to build consensus against the proposal.

She said the Chief Minister had consistently raised the issue across multiple forums, stressing the need to safeguard the federal balance and representation of southern States.

The DMK MP further alleged that the Centre’s decision to link the delimitation exercise with the 33 per cent women’s reservation Bill was politically motivated and detrimental to women’s interests.

According to her, the move effectively delayed the implementation of the reservation by making it conditional on a future delimitation process. She said Opposition parties had come together to oppose the combined proposal, which ultimately led to the Bill failing to secure the required support in Parliament.

“This unity among Opposition parties reflects the seriousness of the issue and the widespread concern over its implications,” she noted.

While maintaining that delimitation was not being used as an electoral plank, Kanimozhi said AIADMK’s support for the Bill had “exposed” those acting against the interests of Tamil Nadu. She accused the party of aligning with policies that could weaken the State’s political voice at the national level.

Reiterating the DMK’s stand, Kanimozhi said women’s reservation should be implemented immediately based on the existing number of constituencies, without linking it to delimitation. Insisting on delimitation before extending reservation, she argued, amounted to undermining women’s rights and delaying long-pending reforms.

She added that combining the two measures reflected a lack of commitment to women’s empowerment and called for immediate implementation of the reservation without preconditions.