M A I N   N E W S

Cong feels Telangana heat as NCP, others renew statehood demands
Aditi Tandon/TNS

Who wants what The NCP revived the demand for separate Vidarbha state of Maharashtra The BSP made a pitch for carving out four states out of Uttar Pradesh The GJM stepped up its agitation for Gorkhaland out of West Bengal

New Delhi, July 31
The Congress today began to feel the Telangana heat with demands for separate statehood pouring in from allies and others alike and both bouquets and brickbats coming its way from the political circles.

The party described its decision to form Telengana state as historical and stuck to its stand saying agitations could not become the basis for the formation of new states. UPA ally NCP revived the old demand for Vidarbha by seeking a second State Reorganisation Commission (SRC) to look into pending claims of statehoods. The BSP, an outside supporter of the UPA, made a pitch for carving out four states out of Uttar Pradesh.

NCP’s Praful Patel said it was time to look at other “similar demands for separate states by setting up a second SRC”. BSP chief Mayawati called for dividing UP into Purvanchal, Avadhpraant, Bundelkhand and Pashchimanchal states for better administration.

The Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) also stepped up its agitation to press for a separate Gorkhaland out of West Bengal, causing state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to trash the demand openly and blame the Congress for the agitation in Darjeeling hills. “There is no question of division of West Bengal. We were united and will remain united,” she declared, slamming the Congress for fomenting trouble in Bengal by clearing the formation of Telangana state.

Another UPA ally the National Conference also expressed concerns over the impression going out that agitations (read Telangana) could lead to the formation of smaller states. Although National Conference patron Farooq Abdullah supported Telangana in the UPA coordination committee meeting yesterday, his son and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah spoke warily of it and called for a Second State Reorganisation Commission to debate the formation of new states in a scientific way. While the BJP was seen standing with the Congress in the plunge to divide Andhra Pradesh, the CPM hit out at the latter for its decision saying the move would give fillip to the demand for separate states in other parts.

As for the party, it has both external agitation and internal angst to deal with in the consequence of its Telangana announcement. Party’s Nagpur MP Vilas Muttemwar has written to Congress president Sonia Gandhi seeking a separate state of Vidarbha which, he says, is the right of its people.

“The demand for Vidarbha is stronger and older than the demand for Telangana,” Muttemwar, a seven-time MP said in his two-page letter. The development is significant considering that he is a member of the Congress Working Committee that yesterday unanimously resolved in favour of creating a separate state of Telangana.

Asked how the Congress would deal with new demands and allies’ positions, party’s national spokesperson Meem Afzal said, “When we decided on Telangana, we knew the demand for Vidarbha would crop up. These questions are natural and the Congress stands by the October 2001 resolution of the CWC which favours smaller states. However, the right decision will be taken at the right time.”

On its plan to deal with the anticipated rebellion from anti Telangana leaders in the Congress, Afzal said there was no such rebellion. He expressed ignorance about the resignations of four anti Telangna Congress ministers in Andhra and the threatened resignation of party MP from Guntur Rayapati Sambasiva Rao.