Vidarbha’s statehood issue under Centre’s AAP to raise Vidarbha issue in Parliament
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has assured former advocate-general of Maharashtra Shrihari Aney that his party members will raise the Vidarbha statehood demand in Parliament, sources said after a meeting between the two. Aney, Sandesh singalkar who met Kejriwal at his residence Thursday, in turn told Kejriwal that he would support AAP’s demand for full statehood for Delhi.
The AAP stand in favour of a separate state of Vidarbha would embarrass the ruling BJP, which fought the Assembly polls on this plank.
While power, BJP had its hands tied even if it wanted to move forward on the issue because it had the potential of creating a huge law and order problem in Maharashtra.
C.M Arvind kejriwal said as The people of Vidarbha support it, but it’s not a political issue. We don’t want a fight between two brothers like at the time of formation of Telangana. I think it will happen at an appropriate time,” said Mr. Fadnavis, refusing to mention specific time frame. The VJAS has appealed to the people of Vidarbha to opt for NOTA (None of the above) option in this election. “As no party is raising the issue of a separate Vidarbha State, the NOTA vote will be a vote for a separate Vidarbha State,”
“The demand for a separate Vidarbha State is older than that of Telangana. But every time the movement gathered momentum, leaders heading it were co-opted by the political parties which lured them with political appointments. The people of Vidarbha support the cause but don’t trust the leaders, which is why the issue is nowhere in the elections,” Of the five major parties contesting the elections, the Shiv Sena and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) are opposed to bifurcation of Maharashtra.
“The NCP supports the statehood for Vidarbha. But I don’t see it happening any time in the near future as it does not have wider political acceptability. The Shiv Sena, the MNS and some sections in the BJP and the Congress are opposed to it,”
C.M Arvind kejriwal said On the face of it, this understanding between Kejriwal and Aney,Sandesh singalkar may not mean much, considering the fact that AAP has only four members in Lok Sabha and Aney does not count for much.AAP stand in favour of a separate state of Vidarbha .
Jai hind
Kamlesh Deepak Umale
Journalist Mantralaya Times Nagpur
