SBSP chief Om Prakash Rajbhar says if UP is divided, the first CM of a new state will be from the Rajbhar community. He calls the state's split into four parts inevitable and makes a Rajbhar CM for Purvanchal a non-negotiable alliance condition.

Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief and Uttar Pradesh Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar on Wednesday said that if Uttar Pradesh is divided into smaller states in the future, the first Chief Minister of the new states will be from the Rajbhar community. Speaking to ANI in Jaunpur, Rajbhar said that demands for separate regions such as Bundelkhand and Purvanchal have been raised by people from those areas, citing examples of the formation of Uttarakhand from Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand from Bihar. "People in Bundelkhand talk about Bundelkhand, and people in Purvanchal talk about Purvanchal. Uttarakhand was formed from this very Uttar Pradesh. Jharkhand was formed from Bihar. Whenever the province is divided, the first Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh will be the son of Rajbhar," Rajbhar said.

Rajbhar's 'Non-Negotiable' Condition

Earlier, on Monday, Rajbhar revived the debate over dividing India's most populous state, calling the split of Uttar Pradesh into four smaller states inevitable. Speaking with ANI, he added that making a leader from the Rajbhar community the Chief Minister of the proposed Purvanchal state would be a non-negotiable condition for any future electoral alliance.

Addressing attendees in the region, Rajbhar cited demographic strength and significant vote share across the eastern belt to back his political claim. "The division of the state is inevitable. When the state is divided—encompassing regions like Purvanchal, Madhyanchal, Bundelkhand, and Harit Pradesh—if you look at the area where we are currently seated, starting from Ambedkar Nagar, the Rajbhar community holds the largest vote share across the entire Purvanchal region. Therefore, for any party entering into an alliance, it will be a predetermined condition that the Chief Minister of the future Purvanchal state will be from the Rajbhar community," said Rajbhar.

Blueprint for UP's Division

The idea of dividing India's most populous state fits into a blueprint that has been debated in UP politics for decades. Under the proposal, Purvanchal — covering Eastern Uttar Pradesh — is marked by high population density and faces challenges of unemployment and migration, but holds significant political sway. Madhyanchal or Awadh Pradesh, covering the central region, would be anchored by major administrative and economic hubs like Lucknow and Kanpur. Bundelkhand in the south is a resource-strained, drought-prone zone whose development depends heavily on major water infrastructure projects. Harit Pradesh or Paschim Pradesh, comprising Western Uttar Pradesh, has rapid economic growth potential due to its proximity to the National Capital Region and strong agricultural infrastructure.

Historical Context of the Division Debate

While Rajbhar's remarks have triggered fresh debate ahead of the 2027 UP Assembly elections, he is not the first to propose such a restructuring. In 1955, BR Ambedkar had suggested splitting Uttar Pradesh into three smaller states in his book 'Thoughts on Linguistic States'. Later, in 2011, the Mayawati-led BSP government passed a formal resolution in the UP Assembly to divide the state into the same four regions. The proposal lapsed as the Centre took no further action. At present, no official decision or legislative move has been initiated to implement the division. (ANI)

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