The BJP’s double talk on “smaller states,” especially on Vidarbha and Marathawada, could work against it in the upcoming local body elections in Maharashtra.
The BJP’s double talk on “smaller states,” especially on Vidarbha and Marathawada, could work against it in the upcoming local body elections in Maharashtra. While the saffron party is growing isolated on this issue as ally Shiv Sena has been opposing the move of bifurcating the state, its attack on western Maharashtra leaders for exploiting resources in Vidarbha has ensured that the BJP cannot get a space in this prosperous region. And in Mumbai, the BJP has been relying on non-Marathi voters.
“The Sangh (RSS), the Jana Sangh and the BJP have been speaking in different voices on division of Maharashtra. If they are for a seperate state, how can they oppose similar demands,” said a Maharashtra BJP leader on Sunday.
RSS ideologue M.G. Vaidya has recently suggested four-way division of Maharashtra. According to him, one state should be Mumbai along with Konkan, western Maharashtra can be a second state, Vidarbha the third state and Marathwada, including north Maharashtra, a fourth state called Devgiri.
“A new state reorganisation commission should be formed that should be looking to fulfil two conditions. First, a state’s population should not be more than 30 million and second, it should not be less than 5 million,” Mr Vaidya was quoted by the media.
“If we consider the formula, four states can be carved out of Maharashtra,” he said.
The present conditions are not suitable for administrative purposes. Even RSS has four ‘praant’ (provinces) in Maharashtra, while it has six in Uttar Pradesh for administrative purposes,” he had said.
But the other day (on Satruday),Maharashtra BJP chief Raosaheb Danve opposed the suggestion of a seperate statehood for Marathawada without convincing reasons.
If the Sangh-Jana Sangh-BJP had no history of identifying with the Marathi pride, the Congress too had remained opportunist on the Samyukta Maharashtra (united Maharashtra) issue.
“ How can Sonia Gandhi oppose division of Maharashtea after bifurcating Andhra Pradesh without the resolution of the state Assembly,” asked pro Vidarbha Congress leaders.
Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, Union minster Nitin Gadkari have been arguing for the division of the state and thereby bringing different projects in Vidarbha.
But their pro Vidarbha stand could be counter productive in Western Maharashtra, Marathawada, north Maharashtra,Konkan and Mumbai regions in the sense that it will unite anti BJP parties in the upcoming local body polls.
If the Uddhav Thackeray led party has virtually been playing the role of Oppositionby criticising diferent policies of the Centre and the Fadnavis government,the NCP cann’t afford to back the BJP after the arrest of its leader Chhagan Bhujbal and his family members and targetting its other leaders.And the Congress does not want to be seen with the BJP,RSS on this issue after their ‘Congres Mukta Bharat” campaign.
