Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minister and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar has ignited a significant political debate by claiming that India's most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, will soon be divided into four smaller states. Rajbhar asserts that Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured him of this development following a comprehensive caste census, a process currently underway.
Rajbhar's Four-State Proposal
According to Rajbhar, the proposed division would carve Uttar Pradesh into Purvanchal, Madhyanchal (or Awadh Pradesh), Bundelkhand, and Harit Pradesh (or Paschim Pradesh). He linked this potential restructuring to the ongoing caste census, suggesting it would facilitate the implementation of the 27% reservation policy and even pave the way for a Chief Minister from the Rajbhar community in a newly formed Purvanchal state.
The timing of this claim is particularly noteworthy, coming just months before the crucial 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, prompting speculation about whether it is a genuine policy signal or a strategic political maneuver.
Historical Context of UP Division
The idea of dividing Uttar Pradesh is not new. In 2011, then-Chief Minister Mayawati’s government passed a resolution in the state assembly advocating for a similar four-way split. The rationale then, as now, centered on the immense administrative challenges posed by Uttar Pradesh's vast size and population, with smaller states purportedly leading to better governance.
Further back, in 1955, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar also proposed splitting Uttar Pradesh into three smaller states in his work "Thoughts on Linguistic States," suggesting Meerut, Kanpur, and Prayagraj as potential capitals. He argued that oversized administrative units could hinder public accountability and effective governance.
Notably, Uttar Pradesh has been divided before; Uttarakhand (then Uttaranchal) was carved out of the state in 2000.
Conflicting Views Within the Alliance
While Rajbhar, whose SBSP is allied with the ruling BJP, champions the division, not all his allies agree. Dr. Sanjay Nishad, another Cabinet colleague and chief of the Nishad Party, has strongly opposed the idea. Nishad argues that dividing the state based on "appeasement politics" could create regions with high concentrations of specific demographics, potentially leading to conditions he controversially likened to a "new Pakistan." He instead highlighted the rapid progress and special development funds allocated to regions like Bundelkhand and Purvanchal.
Conversely, two-time BJP MP Sanjeev Balyan has publicly supported Rajbhar's stance, expressing hope that the division would come to fruition. Balyan believes that separate states would improve the region significantly, facilitating the establishment of high courts and AIIMS facilities in each new state, thereby providing better access to justice and healthcare for the state's approximately 25 crore residents.
The Constitutional Process for State Division
The division of an existing state or the creation of a new one in India is governed by Article 3 of the Constitution. The process is entirely executed by the Parliament. A bill for such a purpose can only be introduced in Parliament upon the President's recommendation. Before making this recommendation, the President must refer the bill to the concerned state legislature to solicit its views within a specified timeframe.
Crucially, the state legislature's opinion is not binding on either the President or Parliament. They can proceed with the bill regardless of whether the state agrees or disagrees. The bill must then be passed by both houses of Parliament by a simple majority of members present and voting, not through a special constitutional amendment. Once passed by Parliament and receiving the President's assent, the bill officially becomes an Act, legally creating the new states or territories.