Cong hopes to regain support with Bundelkhand demand

With AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi’s two-day tour to the region, the Congress will set the ball rolling for the creation of a separate state...

With AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi’s two-day tour to the region, the Congress will set the ball rolling for the creation of a separate state of Bundelkhand, carving out areas from both Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

The Congress has decided to support the demand for Bundelkhand and Rahul’s visit to Jhansi, the main city of the region, assumes significance because the party plans to appease regional forces to enhance its dwindling political appeal. Positive indication for the creation of Bundelkhand and assurance of a special package by Rahul is set to intensify the battle of one-upmanship between the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Congress in the region.

Rattled by the BSP trying to eat into its support base in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, the Congress is compelled to give serious thought to the idea of Bundelkhand as a separate state. The party is optimistic that the special package for Bundelkhand will give it a much needed foothold in the region, where it was wiped out by the Mandal forces and later, by BSP’s massive mobilisation of the OBCs and the SCs.

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Out of the 21 Assembly seats in the UP part of Bundelkhand, BSP holds 14, Samajwadi Party holds four, and the Congress holds a mere three. The Bharatiya Janata Party drew a blank in May 2007 Assembly elections. The support for a separate state of Bundelkhand underlines the fact that national political parties can no longer ignore provincial aspirations.

Rahul has assured of “good news” very soon to a delegation of Bundelkhand Mukti Morcha (BMM) which is spearheading the battle for carving out a separate state. He has also promised to do his best for drought-stricken people of the region. The Congress sources said that the package is likely to have two components — waiver of loan and interest and new projects for augmenting irrigation potential in the parched region.

Actor and BMM chairman Raja Bundela said, “Sanction of a special package may sound like a political decision, but it is desperately required by the region facing famine.”