The “balancing act” done by Justice B.N. Srikrishna Committee report pertaining to the demand for a separate Telangana state, could give a set back to the demand for creating smaller states, especially Vidarbha, Gorkhaland, Bundelkhand, Purvanchal and Harit Pradesh.
While the current mood in the Centre is not in favour of creating smaller states, people in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and other states are not agitating for smaller states like in Telangana. According to a senior Union minister, Haryana is perhaps the only state which got benefited by the division of Punjab. Other smaller states are either depending on the Centre for financial assistance or facing law and order problems and passing through political instability.
The demand for a separate Vidarbha state has hardly received any support from the people. A section of leaders, who are politically lightweight and isolated within their parties, have been trying to mobilise people for the cause but it has yet to become the people’s movement.
The BJP, which has been pressing for a separate Vidarbha state, too is divided on this issue. On the other hand, the Congress and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP have been playing their cards shrewdly. The Shiv Sena has been consistent in opposing the attempts to bifurcate Maharashtra.
As for the demand for trifurcating Uttar Pradesh, the Congress is in favour of creating a Bundelkhand state, RLD chief Ajit Singh has been for a Hrit Pradesh but the ruling BSP has been for trifurcating the state.
Among the three states created during the NDA regime, Jharkhand has been politically unstable while Chhattisgarh has not been able to check the Naxal activities posing threat to the state power. Uttarakhand is perhaps the only smaller state which is stable, peaceful but not as prosperous as Haryana.
Meanwhile, the Congress on Thursday said it will adopt a wait-and-watch policy on Justice Srikrishna Committee report on the Telangana issue.