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BRS, YSRCP urge Centre to address South’s concerns on delimitation
BRS and YSR Congress support constituency delimitation but urge the Centre to ensure fair representation for southern states amid concerns over reduced seats.
Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and YSR Congress party, the major opposition parties in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh respectively, on Wednesday welcomed the delimitation of constituencies in the country, but urged the Centre to allay apprehensions over possible injustice caused to the southern states in the process.
Taking to X, BRS working president KT Rama Rao warned that if the delimitation process results in reduced representation for southern states in Parliament, it would trigger a widespread public agitation across south India.
The BRS has been demanding an increase in the number of assembly and Lok Sabha seats as promised in the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. “Our party’s stance on delimitation has remained unchanged for the past three years. We continue to stand firmly by the position it had adopted earlier,” he said.
KTR further asserted that the people of southern states in Parliament would not tolerate any attempt to suppress their voice and representation. He added that they would fight without compromise to protect the rights of South Indian citizens.
He urged the Centre to understand the ground realities and expressed hope that “those in power in Delhi will listen and act with wisdom.
He also said there was no need to link women’s reservation with delimitation, and demands immediate implementation of women’s reservation.
On the other hand, YSRCP state coordinator Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy said the party extends its full support to the proposed delimitation process.
Reddy told reporters in the party office at Tadepalli that the party was committed to the Centre’s decision to undertake the redrawing of constituency boundaries. He emphasised that ensuring adequate representation in proportion to the growing population is a fundamental democratic principle.
At the same time, the YSRCP urged the Centre to take into account public concerns and objections that may arise during the delimitation exercise. “Any changes to constituency boundaries should be carried out in a manner that does not inconvenience local populations,” said Reddy, adding that a scientific and systematic resolution of public grievances was necessary.
He reiterated that the delimitation exercise should be conducted in a fair and inclusive manner, ensuring public confidence in the outcome.
