BJP can’t separate Vidarbha from Maharashtra, says Sanjay Raut

Shiv Sena’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut has criticised BJP leader and Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule’s recent statement that the Fadnavis government is in favour of carving out a separate state of Vidarbha from Maharashtra.

Recently, Bawankule had stated, “Our stand regarding a separate Vidarbha state remains unchanged. We are working for it. Even the Congress has raised the issue of a separate Vidarbha state. It is on the BJP’s agenda. We have been working on it from the beginning. Devendra Fadnavis has also taken a stand in favour of a separate Vidarbha. The BJP is in favour of a separate Vidarbha state.”

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Similarly, senior Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar recently stated, “It is not possible to fill the developmental backlog of Vidarbha without forming a separate state. A separate state of Vidarbha must be created in the future. We want a separate Vidarbha because, according to the current social equation, OBCs, Dalits, tribals, and minorities are predominant in the region. If we look at it from the perspective of these societies, they have not got any opportunities. Until political power is shared with them, justice cannot be done to the Vidarbha region. Therefore, our demand is that a separate Vidarbha should be created.”

Reacting to the statements of BJP’s Chandrashekhar Bawankule and senior Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar, Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said, “Cabinet minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule has said that efforts are underway for a separate Vidarbha state and Devendra Fadnavis is working on it. But no leader from the Eknath Shinde camp opposed him. This indicates that Shinde’s party secretly supports Amit Shah’s plan to carve out the Vidarbha region from Maharashtra.”

When asked about senior Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar’s support for creating a separate state of Vidarbha, Sanjay Raut said, “We do not give much importance to the stand of Wadettiwar or the Congress. Senior Congress leaders agree that Maharashtra should remain united. No matter how much the Congress struggles, Vidarbha will not be separated. And no matter how much the BJP tries, the Marathi people will not let Maharashtra split. Now Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray are united on the stand of Maharashtra and the Marathi people. So if someone is dreaming about this, his dream will be shattered.”

Raut also alleged that “Gujarat” has made inroads into the Palghar district of Maharashtra. “All contractors in Palghar district are Gujaratis. When Maharashtra was formed, Gujarat had even claimed Palghar district as its own territory. Dang, Ubergaon, Dahanu, and Palghar have been on Gujarat’s agenda. That is why they established the bullet train track through Palghar district. Maharashtra will have to keep an alert eye on it always. Maharashtra does not mean the Fadnavis government.”