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Journalism of Courage
NEW DELHI, NOV 28: Atal Behari Vajpayee Government’s ambitious plan to create small states was scuttled once again on Sunday. This time by Telugu Desam Party chief Chandrababu Naidu who vehemently opposed the move to grant statehood to Uttranchal (UP), Chhatisgarh (MP), and Vanachal (Bihar) on the ground that it could rejuvenate the demand for carving out of a separate Telangana state from Andhra Pradesh.
The Government which had already listed the three bills in its list of business for the winter session, developed cold feet on Sunday after a meeting of TDP chaired by the chief minister himself in Hyderdabad today, strongly opposed creation of smaller states for.
“There is little possibility of the three bills coming up in this session as they will have to be passed by the Cabinet afresh, sent to the President and back to the respective state Assembly first for rattification, because of formation of the new Lok Sabha,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan said today.
The 29-member TDP groupin Lok Sabha being the second largest contingent in the NDA, the BJP can ill-afford to antagonise it on the eve of crucial Parliament session. The TDP which supported Vajpayee Government during its last stint in office as well, is yet to join the NDA coordination committee.
The three bills though introduced during last Lok Sabha, could not be taken up owing to opposition from BJP’s own allies like Samata Party which opposed creation of Vananchal until a Rs 50,000 crore package was given to North Bihar and Akali Dal which demanded exclusion of Udhamsingh Nagar district from the proposed Uttaranchal state.
The TDP MPs however, extended their support the Government’s stand at the coming WTO meeting at Seattle on the condition that it ensured protection of the Country’s economic sovereignty. They also decided to support crucial bills like IRA, FEMA and Lok Pal bill.
