Post Telangana, RLD wants separate Harit Pradesh

With the Centre blinking on the issue of formation of Telangana, Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Ajit Singh on Thursday decided to revive his demand for Harit Pradesh to be carved out of Uttar Pradesh after the Parliament session.

"The Centre's decision to bring a resolution in Andhra Pradesh assembly on formation of Telangana is a welcome move. It is a good beginning. I will convene a meeting with like minded groups (those seeking smaller states) after the Parliament session and revive my demand for Harit Pradesh," the Jat leader said.

Singh, who has long been seeking formation of Harit Pradesh, to be carved out of parts of western Uttar Pradesh, said that unlike Andhra Pradesh, the situation in UP is different, "as there is a general consensus (among votaries of separate Bundelkhand and Poorvanchal) for the state's reorganisation".

"Even Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, during his last Varanasi visit, had said that he is all for smaller states. There is a consensus for UP's reorganisation in the state's assembly also. Sonia Gandhi had written in 2000 to then PM Atalji, showing support for smaller states," Singh said.

He said despite all this, "there is a strange phenomenon that such things happen only after agitations".

Singh said he would not like to comment on demands for a Gorkhaland, but demands for Vidarbha and Bundelkhand hold logic and therefore they should be considered by the government.

"Sometimes things happen after consultations or after agitations. We want to discuss this issue (of Harit Pradesh) with the Centre, but cannot rule out the agitation mode if things don't move fast," Singh said, adding the government changed its stance on the sugarcane issue also only after farmers had agitated.