The movement for a separate Telangana state culminated in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act. Following parliamentary approvals in February 2014, the President signed the legislation on March 1, 2014. Subsequently, on June 2, 2014, Telangana was officially formed as the 29th state of India.
2014 Elections and TRS Victory
During the elections in April-May 2014:
- TRS (Telangana Rashtra Samithi) adopted the “Bangaru Telangana” or “Golden Progressive Telangana” strategy. Key promises included:
- Irrigation water supply to each constituency
- Loan waivers for farmers
- Affordable housing schemes
- TRS contested all 119 Assembly seats and 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana without any alliances.
Election Results (May 16, 2014)
| Party | Assembly Seats | Lok Sabha Seats |
|---|---|---|
| TRS | 63 | 11 |
| Congress | 21 | – |
| TDP | 15 | – |
| BJP | 5 | – |
| MIM | 7 | – |
| BSP | 2 | – |
| CPI | 1 | – |
| CPM | 1 | – |
| YSRCP | 3 | – |
| Independent | 1 | – |
On May 17, 2014, the TRS held a legislative party meeting where K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) was unanimously elected as the party leader, later becoming the first Chief Minister of Telangana.
Challenges and Complexities in the Formation of Telangana
Several issues arose during the formation of Telangana, including:
- Hyderabad’s Status: Designated as a joint capital for ten years, sparking debates over resource allocation.
- River Water Distribution: No clear resolutions on water-sharing projects, leading to delayed decisions.
- Brijesh Kumar Tribunal Report: A critical report on Krishna river water distribution remained unaddressed.
- Institutional Division: Disputes on the division of corporations and institutions listed in Schedules 9 and 10 of the Act.
- Employee Allocation: Government employees had not been fully allotted to respective states even 18 months post-division.
Firsts in Telangana State
| Role | Name |
| First Governor | E.S.L. Narasimhan |
| First Chief Minister | K. Chandrasekhar Rao |
| First Chairman of Legislative Council | K. Swamy Goud |
| First Legislative Assembly Speaker | Madhusudana Chary |
| First Deputy Speaker | Padma Devender Reddy |
| First Opposition Leader (Assembly) | K. Jana Reddy |
| First Deputy Chairman of Legislative Council | N. Vidyasagar |
| First Opposition Leader in Legislative Council | D. Srinivas |
| First Mayor of GHMC in Telangana | Bonthu Rammohan |
| First Chief Secretary | Rajiv Sharma |
| First DGP | Anurag Sharma |
| First IG Intelligence | Shivadhar Reddy |
| First Principal Secretary to CM | S. Narsingh Rao |
| First Chairman of Press Academy | Allam Narayana |
| First Planning Board Vice Chairman | S. Niranjan Reddy |
| First TSPSC Chairman | Ghanta Chakrapani |
| First CM PRO | Jwala Narsimha Rao |
| First Advocate General | Rama Krishna Reddy |
| First Addl. Advocate General | J. Ramchandar Rao |
| First State Election Commissioner | Nagi Reddy |
First Ministry of Telangana State
| Minister | Departments |
| K. Chandrasekhar Rao | Chief Minister; General Administration, Electricity, Coal, Municipal Administration, Urban Development |
| Mahmood Ali | Deputy Chief Minister; Revenue, Rehabilitation, ULC, Stamps and Registrations |
| Tadikonda Rajaiah | Deputy Chief Minister; Medical & Health |
| Nayani Narasimha Reddy | Home, Jails, Fire, & Workers Employment |
| Etela Rajender | Finance, Planning, Civil Supplies, Weights & Measures, Small Savings, State Lotteries, Consumer Affairs |
| T. Harish Rao | Irrigation, Legislative Affairs, Marketing, Mines & Geology |
| P. Mahender Reddy | Transport |
| G. Jagadish Reddy | Education |
| K. Taraka Rama Rao | IT and Panchayat Raj |
| T. Padma Rao | Excise, Sports, Youth Services |
| Pocharam Srinivas Reddy | Agriculture, Horticulture, Fisheries, Sericulture, Animal Husbandry, Seeds |
| Jogu Ramanna | Forests, Environment, Backward Classes |
| Tummala Nageshwar Rao | Roads and Buildings, Women and Child Welfare |
| A. Indrakaran Reddy | Housing, Law & Justice, Endowments |
| Talasani Srinivas Yadav | Commercial Taxes and Cinematography |
| C. Laxma Reddy | Electricity |
| Ajmer Chandulal | Girijan Welfare and Tourism Culture |
| Jupalli Krishna Rao | Industries, Textiles, Jowli and Sugar |
Note: On January 25, 2015, T. Rajaiah was replaced by Kadiam Srihari as Deputy Chief Minister, and portfolios were re-assigned accordingly.
Symbols of Telangana
| Category | Symbol |
| State Bird | Indian Roller (Palapitta) |
| State Animal | Deer |
| State Tree | Jammi Tree |
| State Flower | Tangedu |
| Emblem | Kakatiya Kalathoranam and Charminar (designed by artist Ale Laxman) |
This document provides an overview of the formation of Telangana, its initial government, challenges faced, and the first leaders in key positions.
