TNCC slams Centre’s proposed MP seat increase vis-a-vis population

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president K S Alagiri has condemned the BJP led Centre for proposing to increase the strength of the Parliament (MPs seats) in accordance with the states’ population. Alagiri also suggested that augmentation of MP seats must be done on the basis of population control and growth of states.

Citing a UN report suggesting that India would be among the eight nations worst affected by population explosion by 2050, Alagiri said that if Parliamentary seats are increased in tune with the population, Tamil Nadu among the developed states would be affected without due representation.

Referring to the reported seating capacity (888 LS MPs and 384 RS MPs) of the Parliament building under construction, Alagiri said that the union government was planning to increase MP seats for selfish reasons. He also added that there was no use in increasing the MP constituencies without providing them due funds and it would only also impose additional burden on taxpayers.

Quoting senior Congress leader Manish Tiwari as alleging earlier that the ruling BJP has planned to increase the strength of MP seats to 1,000 before the 2024 election without consultation, Alagiri said that his doubts were confirmed by the tentative list of MP seats released now.

Pointing out that Tamil Nadu accounts for 5.58% (7.66 crore) of the country’s population, the TNCC chief said the Centre has planned to increase the Parliamentary representation from Tamil Nadu to 48 LS MPs and 20 RS MPs, while Uttar Pradesh, with 16.98% (23.32 crore) of the country’s population has been proposed to get 132 LS and 53 RS MPs.

Referring to the long-pending demand of dividing UP, Alagiri said that a relatively small Andhra was bifurcated, while a large UP has been left untouched due to BJP’s political selfishness.

Wondering how it was fair to give double representation to undeveloped UP and less representation to an economically developed TN for controlling the population, Alagiri said that augmenting the MPs merely on the basis of population was a bias. Condemning the BJP for selfishly doubling the MP tally of UP, Alagiri said that the MP seat augmentation must be done in accordance with the overall population growth of the country.