Once a proud state, it was here the first war of Independence had started in the year 1857. Rarely did the denizens of various regions of the state ever hear that Uttar Pradesh would be bifurcated. No one expected such a plan to arrive one fine day.
Though many items play as breaking news, a report in regard to the division of India’s biggest state on TV stunned viewers the other day. It stated that the state of Uttar Pradesh will be bifurcated like Jammu and Kashmir. Or, more specifically, it will go the way of the USSR, if this instance explains the division of the province. Why has this kind of sensational news item circulated if it has no confirmation at the government level? Some hasten to ask.
According to the news report, the state will be divided into three separate parts namely UP, Poorvanchal and Bundelkhand. Although the ex-Chief Minister Mayawati had also raised demands to divide the state into five parts, her idea did not materialise for reasons best known to her. It is often reiterated that she was forced to withdraw her very demand under the pressure from her party workers. In keeping the latest development, the happiest man will perhaps be Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Sources close to the ruling Aam Admi Party said that the party was likely to hail the merger of Noida and Ghaziabad into Delhi. Notwithstanding, the simple point is how can the UP bosses bear to part with Noida at all? Even the state of Haryana will not tolerate the merger of Gurugram into Delhi, as is being said.
There are complications in the abrupt bifurcation of the state. Protests and unrest could take place, as analysts fear. However, this news has already caused a kind of discontent among the major regional parties, namely the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party. Leaders of both the respective parties are opposing this fresh plan strongly as it will directly impact their vote banks.
They are targeting ruling power for devising the plan in order to deplete votes that would go to them in different districts. As the state also shows evidence of caste-based politics, they are bound to think over the loss of their traditional votes if the division comes into place.
Several say it is only a political stunt to divert the common people’s attention from the economic slowdown. They are well aware of the reality of onion prices getting higher day by day. The hike in petrol and diesel prices make a straight impression on the price rise of essential commodities. Will the state division plan bring the effects on the approaching by-elections in the state? This is what needs to be understood.
However, it will not be incorrect to say that the BJP government is going to follow what had been done during the Vajpayee government. It is also stressed that smaller states help in establishing good governance. The strange part of the division plan is the merger of a few districts of UP in Haryana, as some suggest.