Other States - Madhya Pradesh   

After UP, MP baulks at Bundelkhand

BHOPAL: Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan has written a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressing displeasure over the proposed autonomous body for development of the Bundelkhand region spread across Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. This has resulted in a war of words between the Congress party and the ruling BJP in Madhya Pradesh.

Mr. Chauhan called the proposal a direct and unjustified interference into the State’s affairs by the Centre. In an informal talk with journalists shortly after a Cabinet meeting, the Chief Minister called the step “inauspicious” for democracy.

He said he had talked to UP Chief Minister Mayawati about this and both States would unite against the Centre’s interference. Ms. Mayawati had also written a similar letter to the Prime Minister a couple of days earlier saying another autonomous body for the region is wholly unnecessary and uncalled for.

Mr. Chauhan described the Centre’s step a clearly thought out move by the Congress party in the State to gain political mileage for the next Vidhan Sabha elections. “If the Centre is so worried about the region, why did they not provide any financial assistance or special package for the region, which has been reeling under a drought for the last three years?” said Mr. Chauhan.

Congress State unit president Suresh Pachauri, however, termed Mr. Chauhan’s concerns unfounded and laughable, saying he should rise above party politics and welcome the Centre’s initiative which was timely and appropriate.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

After UP, MP baulks at Bundelkhand
Late monsoon hitting paddy sowing

Copyright © 2009, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu