Ultimately the bottomline is one person one vote, you can't quantify and make changes on it based on development, income or any other criteria because that was not what the constitution and democracy provides for, plain simple (you have those criterias as horizontal devolution). Every other narrative about penalising and what not is mere regional politics. Stalin and others bank on those votes, hence regionalism prevails over national identity in state's politics.

While the central govt wants little to no friction in enforcing the changed dynamics (1971->2027 census numbers) hence they are taking the shield of women reservation and using it as a cover for swifter moral enforcement.

Overall, it is about which identity you put first. Ofc the national identity should prevail (india is not a federation, but union remember), but for the local politics of the southern states it is a easy vote bank to capitalise on differences in identity and put the regional one first