Separate Vidarbha Politics: Raut Slams Bawankule, Congress

• The demand for a separate Vidarbha is a major political issue in the winter session, with BJP's Chandrashekhar Bawankule expressing a positive stance.
• Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena - Thackeray faction) criticized BJP and Congress over the Vidarbha issue, while Congress's Vijay Wadettiwar dismissed Raut's comments.
• Raut also attacked the ruling Mahayuti, alleging BJP is discussing breaking Maharashtra despite Shinde's Shiv Sena being part of the government.
• The demand for a separate Vidarbha dates back to 1953, but recent development has reduced public movements, making the current debate largely political.

Why It Matters: Political parties exploit Vidarbha statehood for power, affecting regional alliances.