MK Stalin hails INDIA Bloc’s unity, thanks leaders for opposing delimitation​

Chennai, April 17 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin on Friday lauded the unity of opposition parties under the INDIA bloc, thanking a wide range of national and regional leaders for their collective opposition to the Centre’s proposed Delimitation Bill.​

In a post on social media, Stalin expressed particular gratitude to Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi for raising concerns in Parliament against what he described as an attempt by the BJP to push through the legislation without adequate consultation or consensus.​

Stalin also acknowledged the support of senior leaders including Sonia Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, CPI leader D. Raja, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, NCP leader Sharad Pawar, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, and SAD leader Sukhbir Singh Badal, among others.​

In his message, Stalin alleged that the proposed delimitation exercise was being used as a political tool to divide the country along North-South lines and to alter India’s political balance. He claimed that the Opposition’s united stand had effectively countered such attempts.​

“They tried to divide us as North and South to weaken and defeat us. But INDIA stood together and defeated their design,” Stalin said in the post.​

Emphasising the need for continued coordination among opposition parties, he described the current moment as only the beginning of a larger political battle. He called for a stronger and more decisive response in the coming days to counter the BJP’s policies.​

The statement comes amid intensifying political debate over delimitation, with several southern leaders expressing concern over its potential impact on representation. Stalin’s remarks underscore the INDIA bloc’s attempt to project unity and consolidate its position ahead of key electoral contests.​

--IANS

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