Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy said that the proposed delimitation exercise and the reported 50% increase in Parliamentary constituencies would widen the gap between northern and southern States, making the latter irrelevant in Indian political space.

Read | What are the issues around delimitation? | Explained

Mr. Reddy said that any increase in Lok Sabha seats must be carried out in a manner that maintains the existing balance between northern and southern States. “If there is currently a gap in representation between the North and the South, the increase in seats should reflect the same proportion. Otherwise, it will result in injustice to southern States,” he said.

Speaking at a media conclave in New Delhi on Tuesday, he called upon southern States to prepare for a united struggle against what he termed an unfair delimitation process, Mr. Reddy questioned the basis on which a 50% increase in seats was being proposed.

Describing the proposal as a “final bullet,” he warned that a substantial increase in seats in northern States could enable the formation of a Union Government without significant representation from the South. “Southern States may no longer be politically essential in government formation at the Centre,” he said.

Read | ​Counting matters: On delimitation, federalism, the Census

At the same time, southern leaders in national politics will be irrelevant, and so will be the issues related to the Southern states. The Chief Minister stressed that any decision on increasing constituencies should be taken only after wide-ranging consultations with all political parties while alleging that the NDA government was widening the divide between North and South India.

Mr. Reddy announced that the issue of delimitation and seat increase would be taken to the people during election campaigns across southern States.