Mumbai: Raking up the Vidarbha statehood issue, BSP (Bahujan Samajwadi Party) President Mayawati today (Sep 13, 2004) questioned the ruling DF (Democratic Front) alliance and Shiv Sena-BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) Opposition combine as what prevented them from initiating any steps for carving out a separate State of Vidarbha.

"The Congress and NCP (Nationalist Congress Party) are in power now and earlier it was the Sena-BJP combine, what prevented them to initiate steps for a separate Vidarbha State," questioned Mayawati, whose party has made Vidarbha statehood a major issue in the run-up to the October 13 Assembly polls.

Speaking to reporters on her arrival in Mumbai, the BSP president reiterated her party's commitment that if voted to power BSP would grant statehood to Vidarbha and rename it as Dr B R Ambedkar Vidarbha 'rajya' (State).

When her attention was drawn to NCP President Sharad Pawar's view that Vidarbha statehood issue be included in the joint manifesto of Congress and NCP, Mayawati said, "It is BSP's victory."

Asked about Congress-NCP's claim that BSP's move to field their rebel workers led to her party's impressive performance in the recent Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra, Mayawati said, "they are levelling baseless charges since they are losing ground because of the BSP. We never gave ticket to any rebel Congressman in Lok Sabha polls".

To a query over Sena-BJP asking the Election Commission to advance polls in the State, she said, "Whatever decision taken by the Election Commission will be acceptable."

The BSP President, who will be camping in the metropolis for three days, would be fine-tuning the party's strategy for the Assembly polls.

Earlier, Mayawati had stayed in Mumbai for 10 days and taken a division-wise review of the party's poll-preparedness.