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Rediff.com  » News » Has Maya's plan torpedoed Rahul's mission?

Has Maya's plan torpedoed Rahul's mission?

By Renu Mittal
December 18, 2009 02:42 IST
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Has Sonia Gandhi's midnight decision to give the go-ahead to Telangana torpedoed Rahul Gandhi's UP Mission 2012? Some Congress leaders in Uttar Pradesh think after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister stole the thunder by seeking Uttar Pradesh's bifurcation.
 
UP's party leaders, who till last week were upbeat about an upswing in their political fortunes after more than 20 years in the wilderness, are worried after the hurried Telangana announcement and the manner in which Mayawati has sought to turn it to her advantage by turning the tables on the Congress.

But AICC general secretary in-charge of UP Digvijay Singh pooh-poohs the idea saying that too much is being read into it. Asked whether Rahul's Mission 2012 would be affected he said, "Not at all.  Poor governance and corruption of the Mayawati government is an issue and all this is not going to make any difference."

However, Mayawati is now talking of moving a resolution in the state Assembly for the creation of separate states of Rohelkhand, Bundelkhand, Brajpradesh, Harit Pradesh, Poorvanchal and Avadh. The move may or may not take off the ground, but it would certainly serve the purpose of raising regional aspirations of both the people and the leaders of theses various areas.

It would lead to agitations, forming of different and separate political outfits, redundant leaders will stage a comeback and emerge as leaders, leading their own little movement for a separate homeland, say senior congress leaders.

For example in Bundelkhand, Rahul Gandhi has been pressing for a special package for the area which is steeped in poverty, but now Mayawati has moved one step ahead and is ready to offer them a separate state.

Union Minister and Congress MP from Kanpur Sriprakash Jaiswal has said that if Poorvanchal is made then some adjoining parts of Bihar should also be included to give it a holistic and complete picture since they are similar in many ways.

The immediate reply has come from Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who said, "Why not include parts of eastern UP into Bihar and if people are talking about reorganization then why not bring Jharkhand back into Bihar."

So far Rahul Gandhi has kept his own counsel on the burning issue of the division of Andhra Pradesh which has divided not only the state, but his own party also.

Congress leaders have told Andhra Pradesh MPs to wait till the winter session of Parliament ends and made it clear that no senior leader would interact with them till the session is over.

 

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Renu Mittal in New Delhi