DMK-led bloc to boycott Vijay's all-party meet on delimitation, calls it 'charade'

Chennai: The political temperature in Tamil Nadu is rising ahead of the all-party meeting convened by Chief Minister Vijay on Saturday to discuss the Centre's Delimitation Bill. In a swift move, the DMK, along with AIADMK and their allies, has announced a boycott, dismissing the meet as a 'charade' and a 'political drama'.

The decision was made public hours before the scheduled meeting, with opposition leaders accusing the ruling party of staging a spectacle rather than addressing the substance of the delimitation issue. The meet was called to forge a united stance among Tamil Nadu's MPs against the proposed redrawing of Lok Sabha constituencies, which many in the state fear could reduce its political weight.

Opposition cries foul

DMK working president R S Bharathi set the tone for the boycott, asserting that any meaningful decision on the Delimitation Bill can only be taken after it is formally tabled in Parliament. "This meeting is nothing but a charade," he told reporters, adding that the state government's move was aimed at diverting attention from the real battle that must be fought on the floor of the House.

AIADMK leaders echoed similar sentiments, calling the all-party meet a "political drama" orchestrated by the Vijay-led government. The two arch-rivals, often at loggerheads, have found common ground on this issue, uniting to skip the meeting. Together, they represent a significant chunk of Tamil Nadu's parliamentary strength, and their absence is likely to blunt the impact of any resolution passed at the meet.

What's at stake

The Delimitation Bill, proposed by the central government, seeks to redraw parliamentary and assembly constituencies based on the latest census data. For Tamil Nadu, a state that has successfully controlled population growth over the decades, the exercise is fraught with risk. A reallocation of seats based on population could see the state's representation in the Lok Sabha shrink relative to northern states, a prospect that has triggered alarm across the political spectrum.

Chief Minister Vijay, who has positioned himself as a champion of state rights, had hoped to bring all MPs from Tamil Nadu under one umbrella to present a united front. But the boycott exposes the fragility of that ambition, with the opposition refusing to cede the stage to a leader they view as politically opportunistic.

A familiar pattern

This is not the first time Tamil Nadu's parties have clashed over the delimitation issue. Earlier efforts to build a consensus have repeatedly stumbled on partisan lines, with each side accusing the other of trying to hijack the narrative. The current standoff follows a well-worn script, but the stakes this time are higher, as the bill is expected to be introduced in the upcoming Parliament session.

Political observers note that the boycott may be a calculated move by the DMK and AIADMK to undermine Vijay's credibility on a matter of state importance. By staying away, they force the chief minister to hold a meeting that will now lack the weight of a truly 'all-party' character, a public relations setback for his government.

What happens next

The all-party meet is still scheduled to go ahead, with the ruling party and its smaller allies expected to attend. However, with the two principal opposition parties absent, the meeting's resolutions will carry limited moral authority. The real test will come in Parliament, where the Delimitation Bill is likely to face fierce opposition from Tamil Nadu's MPs, regardless of party lines.

As the day unfolds, all eyes will be on Delhi, where the bill's fate will ultimately be decided. The boycott has set the stage for a bitter parliamentary battle, and the coming weeks will reveal whether Tamil Nadu's politicians can set aside their differences to protect the state's interests.