Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati is likely to announce the reorganization of Uttar Pradesh,splitting the sprawling state into four parts,in a move that her supporters are seeing as a poll-eve masterstroke. Well-placed BSP sources said Mayawati is planning to carve four new states out of the countrys largest state which,with its 75 districts,is larger than many countries.As per the blueprint,the eastern part of the state with 32 districts will form a new state of Poorvanchal while the 22 western districts will be grouped together as Harit Pradesh.Bundelkhand will take seven districts while the remaining 14,all in central UP,will comprise the fourth. Mayawati did not deny the move when questioned by reporters at a press conference to announce the hike in state advisory price for sugarcane.A smiling Mayawati said,Its a big issue but I will not talk about it today because if I do,you people will downplay the SAP story,a big pro-farmer step of the state government. This response strengthened the buzz around the reorganization.A division of UP has been talked about for long because of the problems involved in administering such a large area.The state remains unwieldy even after the hilly region was hived off to form Uttarakhand. But the move has gained momentum now because of the impending elections,with BSP sources hoping that it would set the agenda for the coming polls,while diverting attention away from the incumbency. The hope is not without basis because almost all political parties have at various times advocated division of the state into smaller units.Congress has been championing the creation of Bundelkhand on the ground that its distance from Lucknow has contributed to its backwardness.The party has not taken a stand on Harit Pradesh,but will find it difficult to oppose it because its prospective ally Ajit Singh has made it a battle theme.BJP,which carved Uttarakhand out of UP,has consistently prided itself for its commitment to smaller states pointing to the creation of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand in 2000.The party has now taken cudgels for the demand for Telangana. SP is categorical in its opposition to the splintering plan.Its general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav said,The division will reduce UPs clout in national politics. BSP sources feel that SPs opposition will help Mayawatis plan to shape the narrative. Under the Constitution,the power to create new states is vested with Parliament. Constitution explains that bill for creation of new states can be introduced in either House of Parliament on recommendation of the President.If the bill affects the area,boundaries or names of any of the states,President would refer the bill to the legislature of the state for expressing its views within a stipulated period. The Congress,which is already caught in the row over separate state of Telangana,is unlikely to reveal its hand.Congress leaders said the party might support Mayawatis proposal but a final decision would be taken by the high command.In New Delhi,Congress did not oppose the move outright,merely saying it should be referred to a new State Reorganization Commission : a posture which only indicated its wariness of Mayawatis electoral intent.Although her timing has been influenced by the looming polls,Mayawati has kept the issue burning since winning the 2007 elections.She publicly supported the division of UP while addressing a rally in Lucknow,and followed that by writing to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2008 and,again,in 2009.Most recently,she raised it in September while announcing the creation of three new districts in western UP. Even as bigger players were trying to craft their response,smaller outfits campaigning for statehood for distinct regions in UP were already celebrating the prospect.We are getting support of the National Federation for New States,which includes outfits fighting for small states across the country, said Raja Bundela of Bundelkhand Congress.Former SP leader Amar Singh also announced that he would hold a rally on November 13 at Sarnath in Varanasi in support of the creation of Poorvanchal.Their excitement can only serve Mayawatis objective to distract attention.The BJP has been supporting smaller states but has chosen to downplay Mayawatis proposal.BJPs national vice-president Kalraj Mishra said the party had always been in favour of smaller states but the decision to divide UP should be taken after a thorough study by state reorganization commission. He also said BSP should make it clear whether it had any specific plan for trifurcation or was raising the issue only to arrest anti-incumbency and divert public attention from the corruption and breakdown of law and order under Mayawatis rule.BJP state president S P Shahi said,We will open our cards after the state government tables the proposal in the state assembly.  EYE ON VOTES: Mayawati ================================== |
Take cue from Maya,TRS tells Cong Calling upon the Congress and TDP to emulate U chief minister Mayawati's decision to introduce a resolution in the UP Assembly on the bifurcation of UP into four smaller states,the TRS on Tuesday demanded that both the parties respect popular public opinion in the region by passing a resolution in the AP Assembly in support of Telangana state during the winter session. Welcoming Maywatis initiative,Sircilla legislator K Taraka Rama Rao said the decision to bifurcate UP further into four smaller states -- Purvanchal,Harith Pradesh,Awadh and Bundelkhand for administrative convenience reflected a popular CM's sincerity in respecting public sentiment and perception.Her desire to ensure equitable share in governance to all sections of the society in accordance with the ideas of the founder of Indian constitution Babasaheb Ambdekar are laudable.Mayawatis determination to create smaller states should be an eyeopener to both chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and opposition leader N Chandrababu Naidu, he said. Rao accused the Congress party of dragging its feet on the issue and said it is sad that Congress leaders have been trying to create a controversy by stating that any such move by Mayawati would result in the Centre linking both the issues and announce the constitution of a second States Reorganisation Commission (2nd SRC).Cautioning Congress party against toying with the idea of a second SRC at this decisive hour,the TRS said it would ensure that Congress is wiped out of the political arena in the region if it does not put an end to the delay-tactics on the formation of T state.We demand the Centre to honour its Dec 9 announcement on Telangana, he said.A votary of smaller states,Mayawati is said to have launched the bifurcation move in a bid to floor her three main political opponents -- Congress, Samajwadi Party and BJP during the March 2012 elections to the UP assembly. She is said to be keen on introducing a resolution to that effect in the UP Vidhan Sabha on Nov 21.UP is not only India's largest state,but also the world's sixth largest administrative unit. (Source-TOI) |
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