MUMBAI: 'Lokmanch', the newly floated political party by former Samajwadi Party heavyweight Amar Singh, will support the demands of local parties for creation of small states, including Vidarbha in Maharashtra.

Party's state unit president Janardan Singh told mediapersons here today that Lokmanch has decided to support local parties which were fighting for separate states like Vidarbha, Telangana and Gorkhaland for their development.

Singh claimed that the development fund, allocated for the rural areas, had never reached the persons concerned as it was utilised for urbanisation in the metros. If small states were created, development fund would directly reach the rural areas which would boost rural economy, which in turn will help boost the country's economy, he said.

He further said cities were getting maximum benefit of the development projects and rural areas were the worst hit.

Elaborating on the rural issue, he said, if the development fund reaches the farmers of Vidarbha including setting up of a agro-based industy in the region, it will help create job opportunities and provide other facilities to farmers, which would help in curbing farmers' suicide incidents in the region, he claimed.

Singh said on September 28, the party would inaugurate its first office in the state at Nagpur, following overwhelming demands from its workers in the Vidarbha region. The party will also hold a meeting in Gondia and Wani districts of Vidarbha on September 5 and 6, he added.