The Daily PulsePolitics
UP Division Debate Revives as BJP Ally Claims PM Modi Gave Assurance After Caste Census
Reported by Abhishek Tiwari (Copy Editor) · ThePrint - Politics ·
Confirmed by a second source: Google News - UK Politics (search)
Representative image · Wikimedia CommonsThe Claim
Uttar Pradesh politics has been stirred by a fresh debate over dividing the state into four smaller parts. Om Prakash Rajbhar, leader of the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured him the state will be split after a caste census. Rajbhar made this statement at a rally in Deoria, adding that a Rajbhar leader's son will become the chief minister when Purvanchal is formed. The central government has not confirmed any such plan.
Historical Context
This demand to break up India's most populous state is not new. In 2011, the Mayawati government in Uttar Pradesh passed a resolution in the Assembly to divide the state into four regions: Purvanchal, Bundelkhand, Paschim or Harit Pradesh, and Awadh Pradesh. That proposal was sent to the President but never got approval. Mayawati's plan outlined 22 eastern districts for Purvanchal, seven southern districts for Bundelkhand, western districts like Meerut and Ghaziabad for Paschim Pradesh, and Lucknow for Awadh Pradesh.
Regional Equations
Rajbhar's push for Purvanchal connects to wider political battles over Extremely Backward Classes in eastern Uttar Pradesh. The state is divided into distinct political zones with complex caste and religious dynamics. Western Uttar Pradesh has 136 Assembly seats with large populations of Muslims, Jats, and Dalits. Bundelkhand has 19 seats and faces economic challenges with a strong Dalit presence. Central Uttar Pradesh, or Awadh, features 118 seats where communities like Pasis and Kurmis play key roles alongside the impact of the Ram temple movement in Ayodhya.
ExplainerWhy this matters
What Happened
Political debate has resurfaced around dividing Uttar Pradesh into four smaller states, sparked by a claim from a BJP ally that the Prime Minister assured him the split would happen after a caste census.
Why It Matters
Dividing a massive state like Uttar Pradesh would fundamentally alter India's political landscape, changing how national elections are won and how state resources are managed. Smaller states are often debated as a way to improve local governance, but they also trigger intense regional and caste-based competition for power.
What Happens Next
It remains to be seen if the central government takes formal steps toward a caste census or state reorganization, while political parties continue to use regional identities to court specific voter bases ahead of upcoming elections.
