Phase 0: The Non-Negotiable Pre-Condition (Months 1–3)

Pass the Finance Commission Act amendment creating the Population-Weighted Guarantee. Simple parliamentary majority. No constitutional amendment. No state ratification.

This single act transforms the negotiating environment. Southern parties enter constitutional discussions without a catastrophic downside. The burning-copies-of-the-bill dynamic [@cite_stalin_namakkal_2026] is defused before negotiations begin.