The Impressive TimesChennai, August 21, 2026; DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran on Friday questioned Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay over what he described as a shift in the state government’s position on delimitation, alleging that the change followed Vijay’s recent meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Southern Zonal Council meeting, Maran said the DMK had consistently opposed any delimitation exercise that could reduce the parliamentary representation of southern states. He recalled that Tamil Nadu had held an all-party meeting of MPs, followed by a resolution seeking to retain the existing 543 Lok Sabha constituencies.
The DMK leader said the Tamil Nadu Assembly subsequently adopted a similar resolution and accused Vijay of moving away from the earlier demand for a freeze on delimitation. According to Maran, the Chief Minister has now advocated a “fair” delimitation process.
Maran sought an explanation for the alleged change, asking whether the meeting between Vijay and Shah had influenced the Chief Minister’s position. He also demanded that the Congress clarify what he called differing approaches to delimitation in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
The DMK MP further questioned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over earlier political statements on the issue and asked whether the criticism directed at supporters of delimitation would now apply to Vijay.
The dispute also extended to the Cauvery water issue. Maran alleged that Vijay did not object when the Karnataka Chief Minister raised the proposed Mekedatu dam project during discussions on cooperation and water sharing.
Maran said the Tamil Nadu government should clearly state its position on both delimitation and the Mekedatu project.
The controversy comes amid renewed political discussions over the future allocation of Lok Sabha seats. Several southern states have expressed concern that a delimitation exercise based on population could alter their share of parliamentary representation.
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