Maya's divide UP plan to devastate opposition

Uttar Pradesh (UP) chief minister Mayawati has an ace up her sleeve that will enable her to launch an offensive against her opponents — the Congress, Samajwadi Party (SP) and the BJP — while campaigning for the assembly polls, scheduled for March 2012. Sources within the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) say Mayawati plans to table a resolution in the assembly for the division of UP into four parts — west UP, east UP, Bundelkhand and central UP.

Mayawati had always supported the idea of smaller states but was waiting for the right time to push for her demand. The resolution is likely to be tabled on November 21 in the UP Vidhan Sabha in the winter session — the assembly’s last session before the state goes to polls. Mayawati’s arch-rival, SP chief Mulayam Singh, is vehemently against the division of UP. However, Mayawati is unlikely to face hurdles in getting the resolution passed as the BSP enjoys a comfortable majority in the state.

Political insiders say the move will put the ball in the Centre’s court and it would be difficult for Congress leaders to answer questions on UP’s division during the campaign.

BSP sources said Mayawati will question her opponents on why they did not do anything for the division of the state despite having ruled UP for many years. This will help Mayawati to cash in on the regional aspirations of people who have been agitating for separate states within UP — which has a population of over 20 crore. 

Though Mayawati has in the past written to the prime minister advocating  the division of UP, this would be the first time she would take a decisive step in that direction.

Her opponents feel she is not serious about the issue. “Mayawati has only written letters to the PM for smaller states,” said Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Ajit Singh, who has been agitating for a separate ‘Harit Pradesh’ comprising 26 districts of west UP. “If she is serious about the issue, she should get a resolution passed in the Vidhan Sabha and send it to the Centre. So far, she has only played politics on this issue.”

“The situation in Bundelkhand is such that no candidate, regardless of party affiliations, will be able to campaign in the region without supporting the demand for a separate state,” said Raja Bundela, who has been agitating for a separate state under the banner of the Bundelkhand Congress. “We will contest all 37 seats in the region and no government formation would be possible without our support,” he said.

Apart from his party, other local groups such as the Bundelkhand Nirman Morcha, Bundeli Sena, Bundelkhand Vikas Sena and Bundelkhand Liberation Front have been demanding separate states within UP. However, East UP or Purvanchal with 32 districts is yet to see a decisive agitation for a separate state. Some months ago, Amar Singh started a padyatra supporting the cause. His yatra earned him an impressive following, but the campaign weakened after he was jailed in the cash-for-votes scam.