Why Naidu and Stalin are talking about South Indians having more kids

Chandrababu Naidu recently urged people in South India, especially in Andhra Pradesh, to consider having more children, while MK Stalin rhetorically asked why families shouldn’t have 16 kids. There are deep political, economic, and social reasons behind these statements. The low population growth in South Indian states has actually put them at a disadvantage. But can simply having more children fix this issue? In this week’s Let Me Explain, Pooja Prasanna delves into the core of what Stalin and Naidu are pointing out—delimitation. Lok Sabha seats are distributed based on population, and the current allocation is still tied to the 1971 census, meaning it hasn’t been updated in over 50 years. A revision is expected in 2026, which will be based on the upcoming Census. Some estimates suggest that the total number of Lok Sabha seats could increase from 543 to 846. The key point is that southern states have done a commendable job managing their population and may now have to pay for it.