As TRS experienced a great loss in the bye elections of May, it was determined to win some more seats in the general elections. At the same time YSR was waiting to strike TRS. Keeping his feelings discrete, Chandrababu Naidu decided to say Jai Telangana to bring TDP into power. Praja Rajyam Party declared that it would stick to social Telangana.

• All the parties went to elections with Telangana as the agenda. Political experts opined that the elections were a referendum on Telangana sentiment. Political atmosphere was charged. Devender Goud left TDP and formed Nava Telangana Party. Vijaya Shanthi merged ‘Talli Telangana’ Party in TRS.
• As These elections were to decide the political future of KCR, Chandrababu, YSR and Chiranjeevi the heads of all the parties put their total efforts on winning. As a part of his efforts, Chandra Babu in July 2008 suggested KCR to work together for which KCR asked Chandrababu to support Telangana.
• They stepped into the field of elections together in the name of Telugu Jathí Vaibhavam’, On Waaa festival, Chandra Babu Naidu announced to the media that the Telugu Desharn Polit bureau passed a resolution supporting Telangana. He also said that the Telugu Desam Party would support separate Telangana, respecting the aspiration of Telangana people, and formation of Telangana was a historical necessity.
• Keeping in view the three year movement of Telangana Telangana people, after holding long discussions Telugu Desam Party changed its carlier stand, Known for his crafty politics, Chandra Babu planner formation of Maha kootami. TDP, TRS, CPI, CPM joined as Maha Kootami to fight the election, Jaya Shankar Played a key role in the formation of ‘Mahakootamí’.

Issue of Telangana in the manifestos of various political parties

Congress went to the masses with the promise of granting Statehood to Telangana. It boasted of the steps taken by it such as setting up committees headed by G. Chinna Reddy and K. Rosaiah.

• In the election campaign in many places of Telangana YSR in his addresses told the people that their aspiration for Telangana would come true if the Congress was elected and the vote for Mahakootami, BJP, Prajarajyam parties would be of no use to them.
• After the first phase of election was over, the same YSR in the second phase election campaign in Nandyal (Kurnool district) provoked the people by saying that if Telangana gets separated the people of other regions will be foreigners in Hyderabad and will need a passport to go to Hyderabad.
• BJP campaigned for formation of small states and their slogan to reach the people was “One vote-Two states’. While stating that it was against the formation of small states CPl announced that it was in favor of Telangana. Praja Rajyam expressed that it would stick to social Telangana. The agenda of TRS was none other than Telangana.

TDP, for the first time in its manifesto stated that it was in favor of Telangana but in practice it resorted to betrayal. This led to the failure of the agreement made between TDP and TRS. At the time of nominations Chandrababu gave B’ forms to many TDP candidates in places allotted for TRS in the agreement. Moreover, TDP encouraged independent candidates and rebel candidates who contested In some places allotted to TRS and thereby became instrumental for the defeat of TRS