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Devendra Fadnavis likely to nurture Vidarbha as part of BJP's separate statehood plan

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Chief minister designate Devendra Fadnavis is likely to nurture Vidarbha and make it a BJP stronghold. This will serve him in the long term in state and national politics. Sources close to Fadnavis told dna that BJP had decided to nurture Vidarbha region and make it its permanent bastion.

How many BJP MLAs are from Vidarbha?
Vidarbha has send 62 legislators to the 288-member assembly. In 2014 state polls, BJP won 42 of its 122 seats from Vidarbha.

What's BJP's grand plan?
To make Vidarbha its bastion, and later pitch for a separate Vidarbha state. "We want to develop Vidarbha like NCP developed western Maharashtra as its bastion. If that happens, Vidarbha will play a key role in forming BJP-led governments and producing chief ministers in the future," said a senior BJP leader from Vidarbha.

What'll be Fadnavis' role in this?
According to sources, Fadnavis who is from Nagpur in Vidarbha wants to set up a permanent CM's sub-office in Ramghiri to look after the various projects being undertaken in Vidarbha. He is also expected to urge prime minister Modi to announce a special package for Vidarbha.

"In the House, Fadnavis has always raised the issue of Vidarbha's backwardness, and blamed Congress-NCP for the step-motherly treatment meted out to the region in the last 15 years. During this period, Fadnavis had created the image of a strong Vidarbha leader who would take up the region's cause. Vidarbha also elected the maximum number of BJP legislators. We want to develop the region as a BJP stronghold by bringing in maximum state funding and implementing schemes. We are also lucky the Centre is being ruled by BJP. We will, hence, also get the maximum Central funds possible in the next five years," said another BJP leader from Vidarbha.

And then pitch for a separate state...
Another senior leader said: "Once we fulfil our election promises, we will pitch for a separate Vidarbha state. Presently, we may have a fractured mandate, but once we prove majority on the floor of the House with NCP's external support, we will start poaching Congress and Sena legislators. Once they join us, we won't need NCP or Sena's outside support, as independents too are with us," he said.

Don't want the Sena headache...
According to him, if BJP takes Sena along, they will create ruckus in case separate statehood is granted to Vidarbha. "We don't want that headache; therefore we are deliberately avoiding Sena even though our government will be a minority government. Once we prove majority, in the next six months, we will take up our original agenda of a separate Vidarbha," said a BJP leader, who is part of this plan.

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