South CMs Meet Amit Shah, Water Sharing And Delimitation Take Centre Stage

A meeting meant to resolve Centre-state and inter-state issues turned into a wider discussion on political representation, water sharing, federalism and economic cooperation as Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired the 31st Southern Zonal Council meeting in Tamil Nadu on Thursday.

The most politically sensitive intervention came from Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who urged the Council to recommend retaining the 1971 Census as the basis for delimitation and keeping the Lok Sabha’s existing 543 seats unchanged for the next 25 years. He also proposed accommodating women’s reservation within the existing strength rather than expanding the House in a way that could alter the political balance between regions.

Shivakumar argued that southern states should not be politically penalised for their success in controlling population growth. The demand comes amid concerns that a population-based redistribution of parliamentary seats could reduce the South’s relative political influence. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C M Vijay also voiced concern that delimitation could diminish the region’s collective voice in Parliament.

Water disputes emerged as another major fault line. Shivakumar defended Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu project, arguing that it could benefit Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Tamil Nadu has consistently opposed the project, citing concerns over the Cauvery basin and downstream water availability.

The long-running Mullaperiyar dam dispute also returned to the spotlight. Kerala proposed that it could finance a new dam, with Tamil Nadu handling its design and construction while continuing to receive its entitled share of water. Tamil Nadu, however, has maintained that the existing dam is structurally sound.

Kerala’s concerns extended beyond Mullaperiyar. V D Satheesan pressed for greater Centre-state cooperation on healthcare, infrastructure and environmental issues, including coastal erosion, while also raising concerns over Ayushman Bharat funding and connectivity projects.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu pitched a broader vision for southern integration, proposing a bullet train corridor linking Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, common logistics networks, coordinated power infrastructure, a regional university and skilling consortium, and stronger disaster-response mechanisms.

Naidu also floated the Godavari-Cauvery river-linking project as a possible long-term solution to regional water challenges and called for greater cooperation among southern states on river management.

The range of issues raised showed that the Southern Zonal Council is evolving beyond a forum for settling individual disputes into a platform for negotiating the South’s wider political and economic interests. The crucial question now is what will move from political demands to formal decisions. Shivakumar’s call for a resolution on the 543-seat limit and 1971 Census basis could become particularly significant as the delimitation debate gathers momentum.