Talking to mediapersons in a `Meet the Press' programme, sponsored by the Nagpur Union of Working Journalists (NUWJ) here on Wednesday, Mahajan said that the BJP would now handle the separate Vidarbha issue independently, despite the opposition of its coalition partner Shiv Sena.

The party could not put pressure on the Vajpayee Government to include it in the national agenda, as there was no State Legislature resolution on it, like Vananchal, Chhattisgarh and Uttarkhand, he pointed out.

The State BJP should take the initiative for bringing a resolution in this regard, in the State Legislature. ``The issue can be pressed more effectively in Delhi, if we have such a resolution,'' he said.

On Shiv Sena Chief Balasaheb Thackeray's comment that if the coalitionGovernment failed to remove the development backlog of Vidarbha region within two years, he would himself come forward for launching an agitation for setting up a separate Vidarbha State, Mahajan said that since two years had passed, the Sena chief should give a positive response on the issue. He, however, stressed for a unanimous resolution on it.

Answering a question, the Union Minister made it clear that the Union Government had not banned the controversial feature film, Fire

directed by Deepa Mehta, so far. The film has only been referred to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, only to re-examine its clearance by the Censor Board, headed by Asha Parekh.

``The distributors are unable to screen the movie, due to popular agitation in the State by the Shiv Sena against the showing of a lesbian relationship in the feature film,'' he pointed out.

Answering a question, he said that the alliance Government in Maharashtra would continue till the next State elections. While admitting that boththe coalition partners--the Shiv Sena and the BJP--differed on several issues, he asserted that they would contest the ensuing Assembly elections jointly, to defeat the Congress and its allies.