In an act of outsmarting her rivals, UP Chief Minister Mayawathi today announced that her cabinet had already approved a resolution to divide the state into four states of Purvanchal, Bundelkhand, Awadh Pradesh and Paschim Pradesh and said it is up to the Centre to act now.

Addressing a media conference in Lucknow, Mayawathi said the Government would bring a resolution in the Assembly for carving out four new states in the winter session beginning next week.
Mayawathi’s shrewd announcement on the division of the state ahead of the assembly elections has come as a rude shock to the congress leadership as the ball would now be in the court of the Centre to okay or reject the division.

Maya said that it is the prerogative of the Centre to rename, reorganize or create new states as per Schedule 3 of the Constitution but the state cabinet has taken the imitative of passing the resolution to put pressure on the central government on the issue. 

While it is clear that she made the announcement to cash in on the sentiments prevailing in favour of smaller states and get votes in the assembly elections, other parties in the state have different opinions on the issue.
Parties like Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) headed by Ajit Singh have been campaigning for smaller states like Harita Pradesh comprising the western region while Samajwadi Party, is strongly opposed to the division of the state.

The Congress has been telling for a long time that Maya should take the initiative for dividing the state. On its part, the BJP has favoured setting up of a States Reorganization Commission to go into demand for smaller states.