'Mayawati's move to split UP a political stunt before polls'

The Congress and the Samajwadi Party on Tuesday slammed Chief Minister Mayawati for her proposed move to split Uttar Pradesh into four smaller states.

"We have never been against the creation of new states. In fact, the Congress has been responsible for the creation of as many as 11 new states over the years. But it cannot be done in an unplanned and haphazard manner as is being attempted by Mayawati," said UP's Congress unit president Rita Bahuguna Joshi.
 
Terming the UP chief minister's move as a "political stunt ahead of the state assembly elections" she felt, "Mayawati's design was to get political mileage by misguiding the people of the state, but she stood completely exposed as people understand what she means by taking such a step at a time when elections are just round the corner."

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Reportage: Sharat Pradhan

Congress Legislature Party leader Pramod Tiwari went a step further by pointing out, "Mayawati was simply playing a gimmick. Otherwise, what has she been doing (about this issue) in the four-and-a-half years that she has been in power."
 
Tiwari claimed, "Three resolutions introduced in the state assembly over this period are still pending -- one was initiated by Congress leader Pradeep Jain for carving out Bundelkhand while another was moved by Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Ajit Singh for the creation of Harit Pradesh  and yet another by another leader for creating Purvanchal state -- but none of the proposals received any support from the ruling BSP."
 
He lambasted Mayawati for "playing with the sentiments of the people".

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SP general secretary Akhilesh Yadav was vehemently critical of Mayawati for initiating the move.

Speaking on the issue, Yadav said, "The division of Uttar Pradesh will not serve any purpose in terms of better development or improved governance."

He said, "By advocating the division of Uttar Pradesh into four parts, Mayawati only aims to make short term political gains ahead of the state assembly polls. The move was clearly a political stunt through which she was misguiding the public and attempting to divert the attention of the masses from the real issues that confront her government -- rampant corruption and poor law and order".