NEW DELHI, March 10 -- Closing in on the heels of the tongue's tussle, the North and South divide is yet again seen in the difference of opinion concerning delimitation. BJP leaders, including Mr Amit Shah, have "promised" that the South would not lose even a single vote, and many political commentators have tried to gloss over the subject, saying that Stalin and Co are making much ado about nothing and will not lead to real-world repercussions.

The BJP might choose to keep its promise. Nevertheless, it stands to reason that the North will gain overwhelming clout in the parliament owing to its population density. This is not just a conceivable scenario but a mathematical inevitability and precisely what the South is apprehensive about. S...