Raising the issue of formation of Western Uttar Pradesh state seems to be more of a statement than a reality.

Before the general elections, the demand for a separate Western Uttar Pradesh has once again started rising. The demand being made by a BJP MP seems even more surprising. In fact, politics has heated up due to the statement of Union Minister of State Dr. Sanjeev Balyan demanding making Western UP a separate state. However, some political experts are seeing this as a way to bridge the political loss being suffered by BJP due to the farmers’ movement. This is also being seen as a rebuke to the way Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait has opened a front against the Modi government.

Talking about Baliyan, he said that the capital of Uttar Pradesh is Lucknow and the High Court is in Prayagraj, hence it takes a lot of time for the residents of Western UP to cover the distance to the High Court. Therefore, Western UP should be declared a separate state and Meerut should be made its capital so that the problems of the citizens here can be solved. Former BJP MLA from Chhaprauli Sahendra Singh Ramala also supported the statement of Union Minister of State Sanjeev Balyan to make Western Uttar Pradesh a separate state. The former MLA said that Western Uttar Pradesh should be formed at any cost and its capital should be Meerut. He said that Western Uttar Pradesh becoming a separate state will bring prosperity in the region and open the way for development. This will be the best and prosperous state of the country. But BJP leaders themselves started opposing Sanjeev Baliyan’s demand. There has also been reaction from RLD and Samajwadi Party.

On the demand of Sanjeev Balyan, RLD National General Secretary Trilok Tyagi said that Chaudhary Charan Singh was in favor of small states. He talked about Harit Pradesh, Bundelkhand and Purvanchal. Along with this, we used to talk about Vidarbha and other states at our time, but BJP is not going to divide the states, it is scared of the elections. The popularity of RLD and Jayant Chaudhary has increased in the West, hence BJP is giving such statements out of fear.

On the other hand, former BJP MLA Sangeet Som has opposed Sanjeev Balyan’s statement. He said that if this happens then western UP will become mini Pakistan. Now, Trilok Tyagi has hit back at this statement of Sangeet Som and said that such statements are given by people of retarded and ill-intelligence, while Samajwadi Party MP ST Hasan has also joined this war of words. On the demand of Western UP, he said that we would like that there should not be division. This statement of Sanjeev Balyan is completely politically motivated, he might be seeing some personal equation in it. Congress Rajya Sabha MP Pramod Tiwari has said that you are saying that the western state of Uttar Pradesh should be divided into two parts. To whom are you saying this – SP, Congress or RLD? If you are in power then why have you not made it in nine and a half years? You have a government in Uttar Pradesh also, you can invite proposals and make them. We will welcome you. The Congress leader said that you have to make it and BJP has to make it, so why don’t you make it. Overall, seeing the defeat in front and reading the writing on the wall, statements are being made in the name of Western UP.

-Ajay Kumar