Hyderabad: Telangana chief minister Revanth Reddy has alleged that there is a “hidden conspiracy” behind the proposal to increase Lok Sabha seats by 50 percent based on population by the Centre led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, warning that such a move could politically sideline South India.
Speaking at the TV9 Network’s “What India Thinks Today (WITT) Summit 2026” in New Delhi on Tuesday, March 24, Reddy raised strong concerns over the proposed delimitation exercise and the expansion of parliamentary constituencies.
He noted that there is already a gap between northern and southern states in terms of representation and said any increase in seats should maintain a fair balance.
Concerns over delimitation
Reddy argued that increasing seats purely on the basis of population would disproportionately benefit northern states.
He said that while Tamil Nadu and Puducherry could see their combined seats rise from 40 to around 60, Uttar Pradesh alone could increase from 80 to about 120 seats. Such a shift, he warned, would significantly reduce the political weight of southern states in national decision-making.
He further stated that if this trend continues, a few large northern states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Bihar could together secure enough seats to form a government at the Centre without needing support from southern states.
“This would effectively exclude South India from national politics,” he said, calling the move a “final blow” to the region.
Allegation of ‘3D Policy’
The chief minister accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of following what he described as a “3D policy” — Delimitation, Discrimination, and Devolution — which he claimed is detrimental to southern states.
He alleged that southern leaders are being denied key portfolios in the Union Cabinet led by PM Modi, pointing out that apart from finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, no leader from the region holds a top-tier ministry.
Reddy also questioned the lack of representation from the South in prominent national positions over the past decade and cited earlier instances when leaders from the region held significant roles.
Call for Southern Unity
Emphasising the need for federal balance, Reddy said India must function as a united country with equitable representation for all regions. He urged southern states to come together and oppose what he described as an unjust approach to delimitation.
He also said that all political parties should be consulted before any decision on increasing parliamentary seats is taken.
Reddy added that he would take this issue to the people during election campaigns, warning that the growing imbalance could widen the divide between North and South India.
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