North India Statesman
Senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader and Jaswantnagar MLA Shivpal Singh Yadav has strongly opposed renewed calls to divide Uttar Pradesh into smaller states. Reacting sharply to separate statements made by Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar and Congress MP Imran Masood, Yadav questioned the logic behind carving up India’s most populous state, asking directly: “If Purvanchal is made, Paschim UP will also be demanded—how many states will you create?” He cautioned that fragmenting Uttar Pradesh into smaller territories would weaken its economic vitality, dilute its political influence, and divert public attention from pressing administrative issues.
The Context: Rajbhar and Masood Renew Statehood Demands
The controversy erupted after Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief and UP Panchayati Raj Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar recently pushed for reorganizing Uttar Pradesh into four separate states—Purvanchal, Madhyanchal, Bundelkhand, and Harit Pradesh (Western UP). Rajbhar insisted that dividing the state is inevitable for administrative efficiency and claimed that a leader from the Rajbhar community should be appointed as the first Chief Minister of a separate Purvanchal state. Around the same time, Saharanpur MP Imran Masood backed regional autonomy arguments, reiterating long-standing demands for the creation of a separate state in Western Uttar Pradesh.
‘Small States Hurt Economy, First End Corruption’: Shivpal’s Counter-Attack
Speaking to reporters while traveling through eastern Uttar Pradesh, Shivpal Yadav dismissed the partition pitch as short-sighted and politically motivated. He argued that creating mini-states does not solve governance deficits:
-
Erosion of Significance: Yadav pointed out that when a large, influential state is broken down into smaller pieces, its overall political weight and bargaining power on the national stage diminish significantly.
-
Economic Vulnerability: Drawing comparisons with other bifurcated regions across India, he stressed that history shows smaller states frequently struggle with constrained revenue bases, resulting in weakened regional economies.
-
Root Issue is Governance: Instead of drawing new territorial borders, Yadav maintained that the priority must be dismantling systemic administrative corruption, curbing policy dishonesty, and ensuring that basic welfare reached farmers and common citizens.
BJP Accused of Polarising Elections Ahead of 2027
Beyond the statehood issue, Shivpal Yadav accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of deliberately orchestrating communal narratives ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. He alleged that the ruling establishment relies on “Hindu-Muslim” rhetoric and diversionary debates—such as bulldozer actions and state divisions—because it cannot defend its performance on agrarian distress, fertilizer shortages, power supply disruptions, and dry irrigation canals. Reaffirming the Samajwadi Party’s focus on PDA (Pichhde, Dalit, Alpasankhyak) outreach, he urged party cadres to stay centered on issues of social justice and grassroots governance.
