The Indian National Congress emerged as the largest party in the 2004 General Elections.
After consultations, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) was formed, with Dr. Manmohan Singh as Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi as UPA Chairperson.
TRS Joins UPA Cabinet:
K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) was invited to join the Cabinet.
KCR agreed on the condition that the creation of a separate Telangana state would be included in the UPA’s Common Minimum Programme (CMP).
Sonia Gandhi, in consultation with Lalu Prasad Yadav (RJD) and Sharad Pawar (NCP), included Telangana’s formation in the CMP, stating it would be pursued with consultation from all political parties.
Pranab Mukherjee Committee:
A committee, led by Pranab Mukherjee, and including Raghuvansh Prasad Singh and Dayanidhi Maran, was formed to review the Telangana issue.
Political parties were asked for their stance on Telangana, with 36 of 38 parties supporting its formation.
Despite overwhelming support, the Mukherjee Committee did not submit a final report, reportedly due to political pressure from Andhra Pradesh’s Chief Minister, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, who threatened the resignation of 20 Andhra MPs, potentially destabilizing the UPA government.
2009 Developments:
The Telangana issue gained momentum after Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s death in a helicopter crash on September 2, 2009.
KCR began a hunger strike on November 30, 2009, leading to large-scale protests across Telangana as his health worsened.
Following an emergency meeting, Home Minister P. Chidambaram announced the initiation of the process for Telangana’s formation, with many considering it a symbolic “birthday gift” from Sonia Gandhi to Telangana.
Satisfied by the assurance, KCR ended his fast.
Seemandhra Resignations and Delayed Process:
The announcement led to the mass resignation of Seemandhra MPs, fearing a division of the state.
Facing potential political fallout, Chidambaram announced that wider consultations would be conducted before proceeding, leading to discontent and a wave of suicides among Telangana’s youth and students.
Final Decision and Formation of Telangana (2014):
Despite delays, the UPA government ultimately decided to proceed with Telangana’s formation just before the 2014 elections.
Telangana officially became the 29th state of India on June 2, 2014.
