ASSEMBLY POLL '98
COMMENTARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ELECTIONS '98
ARCHIVES

Congress raises the ante on new states

The Congress has decided to launch agitations for the formation of the states of Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.

Speaking to the media in New Delhi, Congress spokesman Ajit Jogi condemned the Bharatiya Janata Party for not fulfilling its promise to form the three new states.

The BJP only wants to get votes and was never serious about forming these states, he said.

Jogi said the movements would be launched immediately. In fact, an agitation has already been launched in Raipur for the formation of Chhattisgarh state, he said.

In Raipur, the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government's move to omit the Chhattisgarh Statehood Bill from the priority list for the winter session of Parliament evoked strong protests from different political parties, including the Congress.

The Chhattisgarhi Samaj Party, a newly registered political party, burnt an effigy of the prime minister last night after Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Madan Lal Khurana's announcement that the bill does not figure in the priority list.

It was followed by some Congress workers "tampering" with cutouts of Vajpayee erected by BJP legislator Brijmohan Agarwal at the busy Jaistambh Chowk in Raipur.

In a counter move, BJP workers led by Agarwal staged a road blockade for some time at the chowk (crossroads) demanding action against the Congress workers.

Senior police officials, who reached the spot rather late, pacified the BJP workers.

Meanwhile, disciplinary action has been taken against four traffic constables posted at Jaistambh Chowk, who failed to inform their seniors about the incidents.

In another development, the Azad Chhattisgarh Fouj has urged the prime minister and Union Home Minister L K Advani to fulfil the BJP's promise of forming a separate state by December 20. It threatened to stage a dharna (sit-in) in Delhi from December 21 if Chhattisgarh state is not formed by then.

UNI

THE REDIFF SPECIAL: Playing ducks and drakes with Chhattisgarh

Tell us what you think of this report