Lucknow, Mar 15 : Mayawati has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, asking for Uttar Pradesh to be divided into smaller states.

On Friday Dr Manmohan Singh had told reporters in Varanasi, that he could consider smaller states if he had a request from the state chief minister.

Mayawati has thrown the ball back in the Centre's court.

''I want to bring it to the notice of the honourable Prime Minister that today itself I have written to him stating that not only Poorvanchal but Bundelkhand and western Uttar Pradesh be carved out of the state to form new states,'' she said. (ANI)