Naveen Patnaik Urges for Balanced Delimitation Discussion

BJD president Naveen Patnaik advocates for a detailed discussion on the delimitation process, arguing against population being the sole criterion for parliamentary and assembly seats, emphasizing the achievements of states like Odisha in population control. He suggests that the Union government should engage all parties in this important conversation.

Naveen Patnaik, president of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Odisha's former chief minister, voiced concerns over the delimitation process, calling for population not to be the only determinant for parliamentary seat allocation. Speaking at a Joint Action Committee meeting led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, Patnaik stressed the need for dialogue among all political parties to ensure clarity on the issue.

Patnaik emphasized that states like Odisha, which have made significant strides in population control, should not be penalized by losing parliamentary seats. Highlighting Odisha's success in reducing fertility rates, he warned that basing seat allocation solely on population figures could undermine democratic representation in regions that have advanced national priorities.

The meeting, which also saw participation from leaders across eight states, decided to form a delegation to apprise Prime Minister Narendra Modi of these concerns. The discussion also attracted criticism from Odisha BJP vice-president Biranchi Tripathy, who questioned BJD's alignment with Tamil Nadu's CM, hinting at conflicting national interests.

(With inputs from agencies.)