YS Sharmila slams Nara Lokesh over delimitation debate

Metro India News | AMARAVATI

Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president Y. S. Sharmila has strongly criticised TDP leader and Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh for allegedly creating unnecessary confusion over the issue of Lok Sabha constituency delimitation. Reiterating the Congress party’s stand, she said southern states that successfully implemented population control measures and achieved better human development indicators should not be politically penalised through the delimitation process.

Responding to Lokesh’s remarks made against senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram, Sharmila said the real concern was not merely increasing the number of Lok Sabha seats, but ensuring that the proportional political representation and influence of southern states in Parliament do not weaken in comparison to northern states with larger populations.

In a statement issued on Friday, Sharmila asserted that the Congress party had consistently opposed any delimitation exercise that would reduce the political voice of southern states. She demanded a firm constitutional guarantee to protect the federal balance of the country. Referring to Article 81 of the Constitution, she warned that even if Andhra Pradesh gains additional seats numerically, the relative representation and decision-making strength of southern states could decline significantly when compared with populous northern states.

She also accused the BJP-led central government of failing to explore alternative solutions suggested by constitutional experts, such as strengthening local bodies, decentralising powers, and granting greater administrative and financial autonomy to states and local institutions. Instead, she alleged, the Centre projected an increase in Lok Sabha seats as the sole solution.

Sharmila further criticised the Narendra Modi government, claiming that parliamentary sittings had reduced significantly and that the voice of southern states was already being weakened in national discussions. Expanding Parliament without safeguarding federal balance and parliamentary efficiency, she argued, would further dilute meaningful representation and debate.

Meanwhile, Lokesh defended the NDA government’s position, stating that delimitation after the first Census post-2026 was constitutionally inevitable under Article 81. He questioned why the Congress party opposed the proposed delimitation bill despite acknowledging the potential loss of southern representation.