Nagpur, Dec 07: Veteran Congress leader and former Union Minister Vasant Sathe has threatened to go on a hunger strike here from tomorrow, the first day of winter session, to press for separate Vidarbha. "As a last resort when no options are left, I have decided to sit on a hunger strike till a resolution for separate Vidarbha is tabled by Congress in the legislature session here," Sathe, a staunch protagonist of Vidarbha, told newspersons here today.

Another veteran leader and former Union Minister N K P Salve, who has taken ill, would also sit on the hunger strike, "If he feels better and arrives from Delhi tomorrow," Sathe added.

Both Sathe and salve met Congress president Sonia Gandhi in Delhi yesterday and tried to convince her on the issue of separate state of Vidarbha. She has summoned the Maharashtra Chief Minister Sushilkumar Shinde to discuss the issue, Sathe claimed.

He also informed that Shinde last night spoke to both of them on the matter asking for some more time. "But I ruled out any other option and told Shinde that there will be no compromise on the issue now and no other alternative solutions will be accepted by us. Insisting that the time is ripe for carving out Vidarbha."

"It is now or never" to bring resolution in Nagpur session, he added.

Bureau Report