Bengaluru: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah Wednesday supported Tamil Nadu on CM MK Stalin’s opposition to the proposed delimitation exercise, while deputy CM DK Shivakumar mooted a nuanced approach, saying Congress leadership would discuss the matter before making a final call.
The move comes after a Tamil Nadu delegation met Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru and Stalin personally reached out over the phone. Stalin has proposed a joint action committee of several states to collectively oppose the delimitation move.
A CMO statement confirmed Karnataka’s alignment with the protest against what the southern states call an “anti-democratic stance” by the Union government. Stalin requested Karnataka to nominate a senior Congress representative to coordinate a unified strategy. An initial meeting is slated in Chennai on March 22.
“Tamil Nadu forest minister K Ponmudy and Rajya Sabha member Mohammad Abdullah Ismail met Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru and discussed the ongoing protest against the Union govt’s alleged bias against southern states,” the CMO statement said.
The delegation urged Karnataka to join the opposition against delimitation and build unity among the affected states. Stalin had spoken to Siddaramaiah on the phone regarding the issue. “During discussions, Siddaramaiah extended support to the opposition raised by southern states,” the statement read.
Siddaramaiah said that they “unequivocally condemn” all actions of the Union government that are against Karnataka’s interests, weaken democracy and go against the federal principles of the Constitution. Joint Action Committee seeks to include Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, Odisha and Punjab. DMK has been reaching out to leaders across party lines, including NDA allies like Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu.
Shivakumar said DMK “is our ally, and we appreciate their stance. However, as a national party, we must consult our high command and proceed based on their guidance”.