Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president M. K. Stalin Wednesday announced a black flag protest across Tamil Nadu Thursday against the Centre’s proposed delimitation exercise under the Constitutional Amendment Bill 2026. The announcement, made in a video on X, came after a meeting with DMK MPs and district secretaries to discuss on the party’s response and mobilisation.
Tamil Nadu’s other Dravidian major, the AIADMK, which is contesting the upcoming 23 April state polls in alliance with the BJP, has been silent so far.
AIADMK spokesperson Kovai Sathyan told ThePrint said that the party does not want to make any reactive statements and its representative M. Thambidurai would make a detailed statement in Parliament during the special session Thursday.
On Wednesday, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam chief and actor Vijay also said that if the Constitutional Amendment Bill 2026 is passed, the disparity between representation of southern and northern states will increase significantly.
Last year on 5 March, the AIADMK and the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam had participated in an all-party meeting convened by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin to discuss and oppose the proposed Lok Sabha delimitation.
Following up on a video message on X on 14 April, Stalin urged people to hoist black flags from homes and public spaces on 16 April to protest the “massive historic injustice” to Tamil Nadu and southern states.
In his video statement on X, he asked: “Punishment for contributing to India’s progress? Is this how Tamil Nadu and the southern states are repaid?” Stalin criticised the Centre for planning to push the delimitation amendment in Parliament in the middle of elections in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
He added: “Every South Indian living south of the Vindhyas is seething with anger and the BJP is playing with fire” by proceeding with a population-based exercise that would unfairly penalise southern states for successfully implementing family planning measures, reducing their relative parliamentary representation, while disproportionately enhancing the political power of northern states.
Stalin stated: “Across Tamil Nadu, black flags will rise from homes and public spaces tomorrow in protest against delimitation. If the Union government refuses to respect Tamil Nadu’s voice and (does not) step back, you will face the consequences. The price you will pay will be heavy. As President of the DMK, and above all as a self-respecting Tamil, this is my stern warning,” he asserted.
At the virtual meeting with DMK MPs and all district secretaries before the announcement Wednesday, Stalin discussed delimitation in detail, strategy for the black flag protest, and preparation for larger agitations if the Centre proceeded without addressing the concerns of Tamil Nadu.
Earlier Tuesday, Stalin, in a video message had cautioned that any move harming Tamil Nadu’s interests would see every family take to the streets under his leadership, reviving the aggressive spirit of the DMK’s 1950s and 1960s movements. He had described it as a “final warning” to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Stalin had earlier highlighted that southern states complied with the Centre’s family planning directives but were now facing “punishment” through reduced political representation. He criticised the lack of consultation, transparency, and any assurance from the Prime Minister despite repeated requests, including those from Congress leader Sonia Gandhi.
TVK chief and actor Vijay said in a statement that while his party welcomed the amendment Bill that proposed to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament, it opposed delimitation.
“If that happens, in matters such as enacting laws related to language, culture, and state rights, as well as formulating the Union government’s policies, the representation of southern states will decrease, while that of northern states will increase,” the statement said.
TVK said the Bill was “discriminatory” and that if the Bill was passed, the demands of the people of southern states, particularly the voice of the people of Tamil Nadu, would go unheard in Parliament.
“The passage of this bill appears to impose a ‘punishment’ on a state that has adhered to the Union government’s announcements for generations, while offering a ‘reward’ to states that have not followed it. If this Bill is passed, it could also impact financial allocations. A change in the number of parliamentary constituencies will reflect in the financial allocations to the state,” the statement said.
Echoing the state government’s accusations against the Union government on potential financial losses to Tamil Nadu, he added that the Centre already does not provide adequate funds and schemes to Tamil Nadu.
“In such a situation, after constituencies are redelimited, there is a likelihood that funding for population-based schemes will further decrease,” Vijay said, urging that the attempt to pass the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 be abandoned.
Several other political parties including Congress, CPI, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) have also criticised the Union government on delimitation and extended support to DMK.
Congress MP Karti Chidambaram told ANI Wednesday: ‘If there is going to be delimitation and redrawing of constituencies among states based on the 2011 census, it will be grossly unfair to the southern states and to a few other states which have implemented family planning effectively.”
MDMK leader Durai Vaiko said: “I don’t know the reason behind this urgency, but the delimitation Bill has, in fact, raised serious concerns among opposition parties. Our CM M. K. Stalin, and Telangana CM, Karnataka CM, and other opposition CMs put a request to the Prime Minister and to the BJP government, asking for a discussion on this delimitation Bill to make sure that it does not affect states,” he said.
On the other hand, BJP leader K. Annamalai told ANI that the Tamil Nadu CM, as usual, wants to do politics over everything. “The mothers and sisters of Tamil Nadu want 33 per cent reservation to be implemented as soon as possible. TN CM is seeing defeat staring at him, and this is why he is making politics out of it,” he said.
The special Parliament session commencing Thursday is expected to take up the Constitutional amendment Bill 2026. Southern chief ministers, including Telangana’s Revanth Reddy and Karnataka’s Siddaramaiah, have also voiced strong opposition and called for a united southern front against any formula that penalises developed states.
Political observers expect widespread participation in Thursday’s black flag protest by DMK cadre, allies, and the public, ahead of the Tamil Nadu assembly elections on 23 April. The move is expected to consolidate anti-BJP and minority votes in the state in favour of the DMK.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
Also read: Stalin issues ‘final warning’ from Tamil Nadu on delimitation. ‘Every family will take to streets’