Vidarbha creates rift between Cong, TRS

A tension is growing between the Congress and its allies the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) headed by K Chandrashekhara Rao over the question of Vidarbha. According to Congress sources, the party has decided against plumping in favour of a separate state of Vidarbha.

All earlier discussions over a Andhra Pradesh style blitz-krieg, with the separate state issue to be part of the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) joint declaration, were abandoned in favour of a simple straightforward campaign.

Former Maharashtra Congress chief Ranjit Deshmukh, who has been in favour of a separate Vidarbha, has already invited Rao to campaign in the area after September 28.

The exclusion of a separate Vidarbha from the party manifesto came as a setback for Deshmukh. He had asked for separate state at a meeting between him and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi in Delhi last month.

Rao appears eager to be seen as a champion of statehood aspirants. The seemingly cosy relationship between Rao and Deshmukh has also irked Congress leaders, especially Congress general secretary and in charge for Maharashtra Margaret Alva who sees it as an infringement on her authority.

Her message to the party cadre: No joint meetings with Rao if he wants to campaign in Vidarbha.

Rao, who is already in trouble with the Congress in Andhra over his remarks on Gandhi, is not being welcomed as the party feels a separate Vidarbha is a Pandora's box they are not prepared to open.

"The issue cannot be used by the BJP-Shiv Sena combine, as the Sena has traditionally been opposed to it. The NCP has also been ambiguous. The only person in favour of a separate state is Mayawati, who is fighting all 288 seats in the state," said a senior leader.

"Mayawati is stepping into a breach trying to ride a Dalit wave, Rao is seen as testing the waters for a pan Indian movement for smaller states," he added.

It seems the Congress has more to fear enemies within rather than those outside. In this situation, it is the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) which has much to gain as was displayed during the 2004 general elections.