Congress leader Manickam Tagore has criticized the proposed increase in Lok Sabha seats as an act of “discrimination” against southern states, labeling Union Minister Kiren Rijiju a “propaganda minister.” Rijiju has countered this claim, promising fair and balanced representation.

Tagore expressed his views on X, stating, “Propaganda Minister @KirenRijiju must stop lecturing southern and eastern states about their so-called ‘fortune.’ This is not delimitation–it is discrimination.” He also shared a graphic from a news daily indicating that states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra would see a proportional increase in seats, while Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, and West Bengal would lose seats. Several southern states, including Telangana and Tamil Nadu, have called for improved transparency and fair representation.

On Tuesday, the government proposed raising the number of Lok Sabha seats to 850 as part of the Women’s Reservation Act for the 2029 elections, with 815 allocated to states and 35 to Union Territories. Rijiju reassured those concerned about representation, stating that every community and region is adequately represented in the proposal. He emphasized that the proposed bill is balanced and considers the aspirations of all communities and regions.

The Lok Sabha currently has 543 seats, and the government plans to introduce a constitutional amendment bill to reserve 33 percent of seats for women in a special session of Parliament on April 16, 17, and 18.