Lucknow, July 30 - Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati Thursday urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to keep off 'the internal affairs of the state' after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi demanded a central authority for development of Bundelkhand region.

'Any move to set up a central authority for special development of an area in a state would tantamount to direct interference in the internal affairs of the state,' Mayawati wrote in a letter to the prime minister, according to an official statement.

'Such a step could seriously affect centre-state relations,' she added.

The letter comes after Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi led a delegation of party leaders from this state and met the prime minister, demanding the creation of an independent central authority for comprehensive development of the economically backward Bundelkhand region.