Youth leader's fast for Vidarbha statehood enters sixth day

The indefinite hunger strike by youth leader Ashish Deshmukh demanding a separate state of Vidarbha entered sixth day today.

Deshmukh had taken out a march in September to create awareness about the demand of separate statehood for Vidarbha, before beginning his indefinite fast on December 6.

A large number of visitors, including independent MLAs Anil Bonde, Ravi Rana, and NCP MLA Jitendra Aawhad, visited him today and extend their wishes to him. Former MP Banwarilal Purohit, former legislators S Q Zama, Upendra Shende and Ashok Dhawad too paid a visit to the fasting leader.

A local NGO, Vidarbha Economic Council (VED), conducted a couple of competitions based on a Vidarbha theme to keep up the momentum.

Deshmukh, the son of former Maharashtra minister and former Pradesh Congress chief Ranjeet Deshmukh, had earlier said this was an opportune time to carve out a separate state of Vidarbha from Maharashtra, since the Congress-led UPA government is all set to create a new state of Telengana.