Chandrababu Naidu Defends Proposed Delimitation Amid Political Criticism

Naidu's Defense of Delimitation Plan

On Tuesday, N. Chandrababu Naidu defended the proposed delimitation, labeling it as essential and asserting that it would not result in injustice to any state. He criticized the Indian National Congress and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam for opposing the plan. Speaking at a press conference in Chennai on the last day of the election campaign, Naidu challenged the claims made by Rahul Gandhi and M.K. Stalin that the opposition had successfully blocked the delimitation proposal.

Political Accountability and Women's Reservation

Naidu emphasized that both parties need to clarify the nature of their victory and accused them of betraying women who have been waiting for political reservation. His remarks followed the failure of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill to secure the necessary two-thirds majority in Parliament, halting the proposed reforms. Reflecting on his extensive political career, Naidu noted that he has witnessed the journey of the Women's Reservation Bill since 1996 and argued that it has faced repeated delays. He stated that now, when a solid framework has finally been proposed, it is being opposed.

Fairness of the Proposed Formula

He asserted that the proposed formula is fair, providing all states with a 50% increase in seats, with 33% of those reserved for women. According to him, fears regarding a decline in political influence for southern states are unfounded. Naidu also mentioned that if the trends from the last census were strictly followed, southern states might have lost seats in the past, but the current model includes safeguards to ensure balance and equality.

Cultural and Economic Ties

The event was also attended by Piyush Goyal and Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjirapu. Naidu took the opportunity to highlight the cultural and economic ties between Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, referring to Tamil Nadu as the birthplace of Dravidian culture.