'Have babies immediately': CM Stalin urges Tamil Nadu people amid delimitation fears

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has urged people to have children immediately, warning that the state’s political representation could be impacted due to population-based delimitation. Speaking on the issue, he called on residents to set aside personal reservations and heed his appeal. “I urge them to attend as well. Please set aside ego. Don’t think why should you listen to my call,” Stalin said, stressing the urgency of the situation.

The CM linked his concerns to the possibility of delimitation being implemented based on population census figures, which could cost Tamil Nadu eight parliamentary seats. He noted that the state's once-lauded family planning efforts have now left it at a disadvantage. “Earlier we used to say, take your time and have a baby. But now the situation has changed, and we should say it now,” he remarked. “So I won’t say take your time, but immediately have your baby.”

The issue of delimitation has become a major concern for Tamil Nadu, prompting Stalin to call for an all-party meeting on March 5. He warned that the state was at a critical juncture and must protest to safeguard its rights. Stalin announced that 40 political parties had been invited to the meeting to deliberate on the issue, which he described as a “sword dangling over Tamil Nadu.”

Speaking after a Cabinet meeting on February 25, he reiterated the state’s predicament. “If delimitation is implemented based on population census, Tamil Nadu will lose eight MPs. This will lead to Tamil Nadu losing representation in Parliament,” he stated.

However, Home Minister Amit Shah has rejected Stalin’s claim that the state would lose eight Lok Sabha seats due to delimitation. Addressing BJP workers in Tamil Nadu, Shah said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi made it clear in the Lok Sabha that even after delimitation, the seats of none of the states of the south will be decreased.”

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, in October 2024, called on people in southern states to have more children. Naidu warned of an ageing population and suggested potential legislation to incentivize larger families. He pointed out that the fertility rate in southern states had dropped to 1.6, well below the national average of 2.1. 

“Though we have a demographic advantage until 2047, signs of an ageing problem are starting to appear in South India, including Andhra,” Naidu said at the time, citing migration trends and population decline in rural areas.

(With inputs from Pramod Madhav)