Aadhav Arjuna, general secretary of the Tamil Nadu-based TVK party and Public Works Minister, said northern states hold disproportionate power in selecting the prime minister.
This statement intensifies a long-standing debate over regional representation in India, highlighting perceived political marginalization of the south compared to the north.
Speaking in Chennai, Arjuna said that five or six [1] northern states can influence the choice of a prime minister, while the south lacks similar political power. He said that the current distribution of influence is skewed, stating that political power is not meant for "UP, Bihar, Guj" alone [2].
Arjuna used the platform to pitch for a prime minister from Tamil Nadu, suggesting that the state's contributions and interests deserve a candidate at the highest level of national leadership. He said that the concentration of power in the north prevents the southern states from achieving comparable political strength [1].
This is not the first time Arjuna has sparked political controversy in the region. On July 2, 2026 [3], he said that the DMK and AIADMK had reached an agreement and that a formal announcement was expected soon. However, that claim was met with a denial from senior DMK leader S. Reghupathy, who said the party had no intention of forging an alliance with the AIADMK.
Arjuna's most recent comments regarding the north-south power imbalance were made on Aug. 12, 2026 [4]. He continues to advocate for a shift in the national political landscape to ensure that the southern region is not sidelined in the selection of the country's top executive.
“Five or six northern states can influence the choice of a prime minister, while the South lacks similar political power.”
The comments reflect a growing tension between India's northern and southern regions regarding electoral weight and representation. Because northern states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have larger populations and more parliamentary seats, they naturally wield more influence in coalition building and candidate selection. Arjuna's call for a Prime Minister from Tamil Nadu is an attempt to challenge this demographic advantage by framing it as a matter of regional equity and political fairness.
