<b>And now, demand for separate Vidarbha gains momentum</b>

The issue of separate Vidarbha has gained momentum after the dramatic developments over Telangana issue and senior Congress MP Vilas Muttemwar seizing the opportunity has written to the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh reiterating the need for creation of separate Vidarbha.
    
Giving a befitting reply to those opposing the demand, Muttemwar told PTI that a section of leadership was against it and talk of martyrdom of 105 persons for the cause of united Maharashtra (Samyukta Maharashtra agitation).
    
But has anyone thought of 7000 farmers suicide in Vidarbha from year 2004 ? he asked. Backwardness of region has put many obstacles in the development of the region, he said.
    
How long the Shiv Sena will try to emotionally blackmail the people of Vidarbha on Marathi language issue. Vidarbha is basically in Hindi belt and was merged with Maharashtra when the then Prime Minister Nehru urged the people of the then Central Province & Berar to join Maharashtra.
    
There is no logic in one state -one language formula. How can you ignore there are now more than one Hindi speaking states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand and others, Muttemwar said.
    
Creation of Telangana will result in two Telugu states. Thus, there is nothing wrong in having two Marathi speaking states (Maharashtra and Vidarbha ), he observed.