Chennai: With the weakening of the Indian bloc and a attainable break up within the Trinamool Congress, which helps the federal government in legislative coverage, all eyes will probably be on the DMK and its eight MPs if the Bharatiya Janata Get together-led NDA revives the Ladies’s Reservation Modification Invoice and its related boundary invoice, as has been speculated.
The DMK, which had beforehand strongly opposed the invoice, withdrew from the Indian bloc final week after its alliance with the Tamil Nadu Congress collapsed final month.
“Though the DMK has damaged away from its alliance with the Congress, our stand on key points affecting the folks of Tamil Nadu stays the identical. We’ll proceed to precise our considerations and oppose the invoice if it impacts the folks of Tamil Nadu based mostly on its content material. Nonetheless, it’s untimely to resolve on the boundary invoice earlier than the session and we are going to abide by what the leaders resolve,” DMK MP P Wilson advised ThePrint.
In April 2026, the federal government’s Structure (Article 131 Modification) Invoice and related boundary delimitation invoice didn’t safe the required two-thirds majority in Parliament. DMK leaders, together with Wilson, responded by introducing a personal member’s invoice that might instantly implement reservations for ladies within the present 543 parliamentary seats with out linking them to demarcation traces or a brand new census.
DMK MPs like Kanimozhi have harshly criticized the linkage of the difficulty, calling it a “entice” and an assault on the federal construction.
Get together insiders have indicated that though the DMK is unlikely to vote in favor of a invoice deemed to be detrimental to the pursuits of Tamil Nadu, it plans to debate the contents of the amended invoice earlier than taking a proper stand. Get together officers additionally say they’re pushing to think about indicators past inhabitants, equivalent to GSDP, industrial progress and household planning success, when setting boundaries.
DMK spokesperson RS Bharati advised ThePrint that reintroducing the boundary invoice continues to be on the hypothesis stage. Nonetheless, the revisions will probably be mentioned internally when the choice is made. earlier than receiving the decision.
“We’re below no obligation to take any determination now, however we are going to put the pursuits of the folks of Tamil Nadu first. What the social gathering will do has not but been determined. Now we have made it clear that we stand with secular events and we now have no intention of adjusting that.”
Additionally learn: You possibly can’t keep away from boundaries. Listed below are 4 options that will not damage the South
Adjustments within the political atmosphere
In Tamil Nadu, the DMK ended its long-standing alliance with the Congress after actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) supported the formation of the federal government following the meeting election outcomes, however the DMK is looking for a brand new anti-BJP, anti-Congress regional entrance.
On the identical time, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) is headed for a serious break up in West Bengal after its defeat by the Bharatiya Janata Get together within the Could meeting polls. With round 58 MLAs revolting and supporting ousted chief Ritavrata Banerjee as chief of the opposition, round 20 out of 28 MPs have hinted at a shift to the BJP-led NDA.
These developments mirror a transparent retreat into the Indian bloc on account of weakening opposition unity and regional fragmentation, which is a stable benefit for the Bharatiya Janata Get together-led NDA on the nationwide stage.
The Structure (131st Modification) Invoice 2026 was rejected in Parliament on April seventeenth. Of the 528 members current and voting, the invoice acquired 298 votes in favor and 230 votes towards. It fell wanting the required two-thirds majority of about 352 votes.
If the DMK abstains from voting towards the delimitation invoice when it’s resubmitted, it’s more likely to cut back the variety of votes towards the invoice and vastly assist the BJP. Such a state of affairs, particularly when mixed with potential assist or abstentions from different shifting opposition factions equivalent to sections of the TMC, may push the federal government nearer to the votes it wants in an try at amendments.
In the meantime, DMK officers say the social gathering’s public stance stays rooted in defending illustration in southern states and pushing for ladies’s reservations to be separated from the border.
Opposition of DMK earlier than meeting polls
The Ladies’s Reservation Invoice, which is linked to the following census and subsequent delimitation drive within the nation, has been opposed by the DMK, which feared that reallocating Lok Sabha constituencies based mostly on inhabitants would result in northern states with larger inhabitants progress charges gaining extra seats, thereby decreasing the variety of MPs. Mentioned when enacting a legislation.
Forward of the Tamil Nadu Meeting elections, DMK President and Chief Minister MK Stalin led black flag protests within the state by burning copies of the then proposed boundary invoice.
He additionally launched a video assertion calling it a “stern last warning” to the Modi authorities towards demarcating borders and pushing for constitutional reforms. He had mentioned that any transfer to the detriment of Tamil Nadu or unfairly empowering the northern states would set off huge riots throughout the state and “convey complete households to the streets”.
Stalin had prior to now emphasised on Tamil Nadu’s compliance with household planning measures inspired by the Centre. “When the federal authorities urged us to cut back inhabitants progress, have smaller households and observe household planning, we did. Is that this a punishment for doing what was requested of us with self-discipline?” he requested.
The DMK additionally accused the Heart of ignoring appeals from southern states and performing unilaterally with out session, warning that it could undermine federalism. Stalin vowed to guide a protest harking back to the DMK’s historic self-respect and anti-Hindi actions of the Nineteen Fifties and Nineteen Sixties, declaring it a combat for electoral rules and the rights of the nation.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
Additionally learn: The TMC’s LoP in Bengal has given the BJP management over each the federal government and the opposition. Mamata is rudderless.
