Daijiworld Media Network - Chennai

Chennai, Aug 9: A meeting of Tamil Nadu MPs chaired by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Saturday urged the Union government not to proceed with the proposed delimitation exercise and to retain the existing 543 Lok Sabha seats, with the representation of states kept unchanged.

The meeting was boycotted by 37 of the state's 57 MPs, with members of the DMK, AIADMK, PMK, DMDK and Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) staying away. Only 20 MPs attended the meeting, comprising members of ruling TVK allies including the Congress, VCK, CPI, CPI(M), IUML and MDMK.

According to MPs who attended the meeting, Vijay expressed displeasure over the absence of the DMK and AIADMK from the discussions.

"Since the delimitation exercise will reduce Tamil Nadu's representation and importance, it is imperative that MPs work in unison to protect the state's right," Vijay was quoted as saying in an official release.

The meeting resolved that the Tamil Nadu government should pass a resolution in the Assembly urging the Centre not to proceed with the delimitation exercise. The resolution is likely to be taken up in the Assembly next week.

Participating MPs said a proposed 50 per cent increase in the existing number of Lok Sabha seats was an illusion intended to "sweeten the pill". They demanded that the number of Lok Sabha seats be permanently capped at 543 and that the representation of individual states remain unchanged.

The meeting is being viewed as a political challenge to the DMK, which had opposed the delimitation Bill in April but is now considering supporting it if its concerns are addressed. The DMK has faced criticism from the TVK and Congress over statements that it would decide its position after the Bill is introduced in Parliament, marking a shift from its earlier opposition.

The DMK could support the Bill if Tamil Nadu's existing 7.2 per cent representation is protected.

The DMK, which has 30 MPs in both Houses of Parliament, cited the TVK government's decision not to convene an all-party meeting on the Cauvery issue and its choice to send invitations individually to MPs instead of party leaders as reasons for boycotting Saturday's meeting.

The AIADMK also said the TVK should have convened an all-party meeting rather than a meeting of MPs. The meeting is believed to be the first time a Tamil Nadu chief minister has convened such a gathering of the state's MPs.

DMK parliamentary party leader Kanimozhi Karunanidhi accused the TVK of using the delimitation meeting to divert attention from its handling of the Cauvery issue and to "save" the Congress government in Karnataka amid the inter-state water dispute.

She also said it remained unclear whether the delimitation Bill would be introduced during the ongoing Parliament session and accused the ruling TVK of playing politics over the issue.