In Bundelkhand, the talk is about misrule & two men, not statehood

Bundelkhand is the region for which the demand for statehood has been the strongest in recent years. And, of all politicians in UP, Chief Minister Mayawati has been the most vocal about it. Yet, her exertions — a letter to the Prime Minister for division of UP into four states, backed up with a resolution in the legislature — have impressed few on the ground.

"The issue in Bundelkhand now is governance, not statehood. Her rule has been a story of missed opportunities and pervasive corruption by her chosen men," says Gopal Goyal, teacher in a local college.

Mayawati's political rivals are using much stronger language.

"Under her, there was open loot of money, whether of the state's own or of that given by the Centre for the poor under schemes like the Bundelkhand package,'' says Vivek Kumar Singh, Congress spokesman and local MLA who is contesting again.

The names of two men invariably come up in such discussions — PWD Minister Naseemuddin Siddiqui and former family welfare minister Babu Singh Kushwaha, who had to resign last year after the death of two CMOs and who was later expelled from the BSP.

They were Mayawati's two most trusted men; now Siddiqui remains the only one. Both were MLCs and, therefore, not answerable to the people. And both virtually ruled Bundelkhand.

Kushwaha's role in the multi-crore NRHM scam, and his naming as an accused by the CBI, have made national headlines. So has the allotment of tractors, which were meant for farmers, to Siddiqui's relatives and others who had nothing to do with farming.

Not as well known is the Lokayukta's ongoing investigation into allegations of corruption, amassing of wealth, and misuse of office against Siddiqui. Or, for that matter, the Lokayukta's recommendation for a CBI investigation into alleged money-laundering and favouritism in the award of mining contracts by Kushwaha.

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