Uma Bharti: Bundelkhand merger? No takers

Bhopal: Union water resources minister Uma Bharti on Sunday said that districts of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh in Bundelkhand region were not willing for a merger with each other, which posed hindrance for creation of a separate Bundelkhand state. “People of the Bundelkhand region parts of MP and UP are not willing for a merger of their districts to create a separate Bundelkhand state. If people in the region are not interested for a separate Bundelkhand state, what can I do,” she said at the district headquarters town of Tikamgarh. She said the Centre would consider the issue if the proposal for a separate Bundelkhand state came before the state reorganization committee.

“It is not an easy exercise. First, the proposed Bundelkhand state has to be demarcated. Unless basic steps such as demarcation of area for carving out separate Bundelkhand state are not taken, things will not move in the direction,” she said.