Telangana became India's 29th state on 2 June 2014, four and a half years after Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) began a fast for it on 29 November 2009. On 9 December 2009 the Centre announced it would start the process, then put it on hold on 23 December after mass resignations and protests in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema. After a committee, a general strike, mass marches and a counter-agitation, Parliament passed the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill in February 2014.
A 1956 merger and a 2009 "free zone" ruling
Telangana was merged with Andhra State in 1956 to form Andhra Pradesh. A 1969 agitation for a separate state saw over 300 people killed in police firing, according to an IANS timeline; KCR founded the TRS in 2001 to revive the demand IANS via Gulf News.
The immediate trigger came on 9 October 2009, when the Supreme Court declared Hyderabad a "free zone" for police recruitment. Until then Telangana residents had a 70 per cent local reservation in government jobs in Hyderabad. KCR argued that the 1975 Presidential Order and GO 610 placed Hyderabad in a Telangana zone Deccan Chronicle.
"Telangana Vachchudo KCR Sachchudo"
KCR announced a fast unto death from 29 November with the slogan "Telangana Vachchudo KCR Sachchudo" (either Telangana comes or KCR dies). Police arrested him near Karimnagar that morning, and a Khammam court sent him to jail for 14 days, where he began the fast. On 1 December he denied reports that he had ended it, saying police had forced juice on him. He was moved to NIMS hospital in Hyderabad on 4 December Deccan Chronicle.
At about 11.30 pm on 9 December, Chidambaram read a statement to the media Deccan Chronicle:
The process of forming the state of Telangana will be initiated. An appropriate resolution will be moved in the state assembly. We are concerned about the health of KCR. We request him to withdraw his fast immediately.
P Chidambaram, Union Home Minister, 9 December 2009
KCR ended his 11-day fast Deccan Chronicle IANS via TNM.
A hundred resignations and a reversal
On 10 December, 100 of the 294 MLAs submitted resignations to Speaker N Kiran Kumar Reddy: 58 from the Congress, 29 from the TDP and 13 from the Praja Rajyam Party. TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, who had earlier dared the Congress to table the resolution, said: "The Centre's decision is unilateral and arbitrary." Chief Minister K Rosaiah said the resolution would be introduced only after building a consensus Tribune.
On the night of 23 December Chidambaram said the situation "has altered since the announcement" and that "wide-ranging consultations would now be held with all political parties and groups in the state" Deccan Chronicle. Over 65 of Telangana's 119 MLAs then sent in resignations. Police said agitators damaged 57 buses, stopped 11 trains and protested at 330 places in one day, and central forces in the state rose to 38 companies. Telangana parties formed a Joint Action Committee (JAC) Tribune, with Professor M Kodandaram as its chairman Deccan Chronicle.
Government's position Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni said "it is not possible at times to implement a one-sided decision all of a sudden" Tribune.
Tear gas in the Osmania hostels
About 13 student unions formed the Osmania University Students' JAC in November 2009. Claim · OUJAC founder One founding member told Deccan Chronicle that its 29 November rally was stopped and students were "chased and beaten" by central forces on campus. After 23 December students began an indefinite fast at the Arts College, which police ended after eight days. The OUJAC's "Vidyarthi Maha Garjana" on 5 January 2010 drew close to two lakh students, according to the paper Deccan Chronicle.
On 24 December 2009 students clashed with police, who baton-charged them Tribune. On 14 February 2010, police chased students into a hostel and fired tear gas shells into rooms; dozens were injured, the paper reported Deccan Chronicle.
Six options and a "second best" one
The Centre set up a five-member committee under former Supreme Court judge B N Srikrishna on 3 February 2010. It received over one lakh representations and submitted its report on 30 December 2010 Deccan Chronicle. The 461-page report was made public on 6 January 2011 PTI via Governance Now.
It set out six options: status quo; division with Hyderabad as a Union Territory; a Rayala-Telangana state; division with an enlarged Hyderabad Union Territory; division with Hyderabad as Telangana's capital; and a united state with a statutory Telangana Regional Council. It found the united option "most workable" and called a separate Telangana the "second best option" The Hindu via Morung Express Business Standard.
Telangana groups held a day-long sit-in. KCR asked the Prime Minister to "stand by the announcement made on December 9" Gulf News.
Statues in Hussain Sagar: the Million March
The JAC called a march on Tank Bund from 1 pm to 4 pm. Police refused permission, saying it could affect normal life and law and order, imposed Section 144 orders and made preventive arrests across Telangana. Kodandaram and TRS, TDP and BJP leaders were detained. "They have arrested hundreds of people in entire Telangana," Kodandaram said PTI via Governance Now. Thousands still reached Tank Bund; protesters threw stones and police used tear gas Oneindia.
Protesters pulled down statues of Telugu cultural figures installed by N T Rama Rao. Deccan Chronicle counted 12 pulled down and 11 dumped in Hussain Sagar (Deccan Chronicle), 16 (PTI) and 17 (Human Rights Forum) Deccan Chronicle PTI via Oneindia. The Human Rights Forum said at least 20 media cameras and a media van were also destroyed. It condemned the violence, but also called the pre-march crackdown "a virtual police raj" in which thousands were taken into custody Human Rights Forum.
On 24 April 2026 the Telangana High Court quashed the Million March cases against KCR, K T Rama Rao and T Harish Rao, who argued they were not at the scene Siasat.
A 42-day strike by all sections
Government employees struck from 13 September 2011 as part of the "strike by all sections", demanding a timeline for statehood. Teachers, APSRTC staff and Singareni workers took part PTI via Governance Now. In mid-October employee leaders said "our only demand is Telangana state" and set preconditions including withdrawal of cases, ESMA and a "no work no pay" order IANS via Deccan Herald.
Singareni produced 2.1 million tonnes of coal in September 2011 against a target of 3.7 million, which the Central Electricity Authority linked to the agitation Sakshi Post. The strike was called off on 24 October after 42 days. The state accepted nine demands, including withdrawing cases and treating the strike period as special leave. It had threatened but did not enforce ESMA. Kodandaram called the withdrawal "temporary" PTI via Governance Now Deccan Chronicle.
Six hundred deaths, by the movement's count
Suicides linked to the demand recurred through the movement. A Tribune editorial counted seven in one week in January 2010 Tribune, and the OU students' JAC called a 48-hour bandh after deaths that month Deccan Herald.
Claim · pro-Telangana groups In October 2011 pro-Telangana groups said over 600 people, mostly students, had died for the cause since November 2009 PTI via Oneindia. A 2023 Deccan Chronicle retrospective put deaths of activists between 2001 and 2014 at about 1,200 Deccan Chronicle. We found no official count. In 2023 Chidambaram said, "If some lives have been lost, we are sorry for that," but added that "you can't make the Central government responsible" IANS via TNM.
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The other side's strike: Samaikyandhra, 2013
On 30 July 2013 the UPA coordination committee and Congress Working Committee decided to create Telangana, and the Union Cabinet approved it on 3 October IANS via Gulf News. In Seemandhra (coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema), government employees, teachers and workers went on indefinite strike from 13 August; Deccan Herald put their number at more than six lakh Deccan Herald.
After the Cabinet nod the "two-month-long peaceful" Samaikyandhra (united Andhra) agitation turned violent, with attacks on Congress leaders' properties across 13 districts Deccan Herald. Curfew was imposed in Vizianagaram at 9.45 pm on 5 October after arson and looting and attacks on properties of state Congress chief Botsa Satyanarayana Asian Age. Shoot-at-sight orders were issued and police fired rubber bullets; an electricity strike shut six of seven units at a Vijayawada power station Governance Now. About 600 people were taken into custody, and the curfew was lifted on 19 October PTI via Deccan Herald.
Offices reopened after 66 days when over four lakh employees returned, after Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy promised to write to the Prime Minister. APNGOs president P Ashok Babu said the strike was called off "temporarily" Sakshi Post.
Pepper spray in the Lok Sabha
On 30 January 2014 both houses of the state legislature rejected the draft Bill by voice vote on Kiran Kumar Reddy's resolution IANS via TNM. The vote had no binding effect. Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said: "It is a commitment we have made" Al Jazeera.
When the Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 13 February, Seemandhra MP Lagadapati Rajagopal used pepper spray in the House. He said it was "self-defence" after MPs "pounced" on him. Sixteen MPs were suspended, and Speaker Meira Kumar called it "a blot" Gulf Times Gulf News.
The Lok Sabha passed the Bill by voice vote on 18 February after about 90 minutes, with BJP support and 38 government amendments. Live telecast was off; Lok Sabha TV cited technical problems Tribune Daily Excelsior. Kiran Kumar Reddy resigned on 19 February, alleging a "shady deal between the Congress and the BJP" Governance Now. The Rajya Sabha passed the Bill on 20 February, the President assented on 1 March, and President's Rule was imposed Deccan Chronicle IANS via TNM.
The Act gave Telangana 10 districts and Andhra Pradesh 13, with Hyderabad as common capital for up to 10 years The Peninsula. It declared Polavaram a national project Factly via Newslaundry. On 20 February Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told the Rajya Sabha that the residual state would get Special Category Status for five years; the Centre later said this was not possible after the 14th Finance Commission Factly via Newslaundry. KCR was sworn in as Telangana's first Chief Minister on 2 June 2014 IANS via TNM.
KCR's fast
Arrested near Karimnagar, fasts in Khammam jail DC.
Centre's announcement
Process to form Telangana "will be initiated" DC.
Reversal
Centre calls for wide consultations Tribune.
Srikrishna Committee
Report on 30 Dec 2010, public on 6 Jan 2011 The Hindu.
Million March
Tank Bund statues damaged HRF.
Sakala Janula Samme
42-day strike PTI.
Congress decides to divide
Seemandhra strike from 13 Aug DH.
Parliament passes Bill
Lok Sabha, then Rajya Sabha Tribune.
Telangana formed
KCR sworn in TNM.
A broken promise or a unilateral split
The Telangana movement
Supporters said the 9 December promise had been broken and demanded a Bill in Parliament. KCR said options other than statehood were "not at all acceptable to the Telangana people" Gulf News.
Seemandhra leaders, the state and the Centre
Opponents said the decision was unilateral. Kiran Kumar Reddy said division was not in the interest of either region and disputes over power, irrigation and jobs "would become annual feature" Governance Now. Police cited law and order to deny the Million March permission PTI. Chidambaram said in 2023: "Creating a state or dividing a state is not child's play" IANS via TNM.
Ten years on, the split is not finished
Hyderabad stopped being the common capital on 2 June 2024 South First. The division of 89 corporations in Schedule IX and 107 institutions in Schedule X was still incomplete in 2024, despite an expert committee under Sheela Bhide. Power dues and employee transfers were also open; the AP Bhavan row in Delhi was settled in March 2024 PTI via South First. At a January 2022 meeting with the Union Home Secretary, Andhra Pradesh claimed power dues of Rs 3,442 crore from Telangana, while Telangana said it was owed Rs 12,111 crore IANS via TNM.
Chief Ministers Revanth Reddy and Chandrababu Naidu met on 6 July 2024 and agreed to form committees of officials and ministers TNM. After a Jal Shakti Ministry meeting on 16 July 2025, the Centre set up a technical committee on water disputes. Andhra Pradesh's proposed Godavari-Banakacherla link became a new flashpoint, and the BRS accused Revanth Reddy of surrendering Telangana's interests Deccan Herald. On 9 February 2026 the Telangana High Court said pensions or house sites for movement participants were for the government to decide and could not be ordered without a policy Siasat.
Sources
- Deccan Chronicle: 10 turning points in Telangana statehood agitation, 24 May 2023
- IANS via The News Minute: Sorry for loss of lives during Telangana movement, says Chidambaram, 17 Nov 2023
- IANS via Gulf News: Major developments in history of Telangana, Feb 2014
- The Tribune: report on resignations of Andhra MLAs and MPs, 11 Dec 2009
- The Tribune: report on Telangana MLAs' resignations and clashes, 25 Dec 2009
- Deccan Chronicle: OU students lead Telangana movement, realise dream, 1 Jun 2023
- PTI via Governance Now: Six options on Telangana, status quo least favourable, 6 Jan 2011
- The Hindu via Morung Express: Srikrishna panel favours united Andhra, 7 Jan 2011
- Business Standard: Leading nowhere, 9 Jan 2011
- Gulf News: Telangana disappointed with Srikrishna report, Jan 2011
- PTI via Governance Now: Million March, Telangana leaders taken into custody, 10 Mar 2011
- Oneindia: Govt fails to foil Telangana Million March in Hyderabad, 10 Mar 2011
- PTI via Oneindia: Telangana tumult deepens after statues mayhem, 16 Mar 2011
- Human Rights Forum: Million March desecration of statues a reprehensible act, Mar 2011
- Deccan Chronicle: Dumped statues to stay in lake bed, 21 Oct 2014
- Siasat: Telangana HC acquits top BRS leaders in 2011 Million March violence case, 24 Apr 2026
- IANS via Deccan Herald: Telangana employees' strike continues, talks fail, 15 Oct 2011
- PTI via Governance Now: Pro-Telangana stir in AP called off, 25 Oct 2011
- Sakshi Post: T stir hit power generation, report, 2012
- The Tribune: editorial on Telangana suicides, 23 Jan 2010
- Deccan Herald: Spate of suicides continues over Telangana, 19 Jan 2010
- PTI via Oneindia: report on Telangana suicides, 3 Oct 2011
- Deccan Chronicle: Remembering TS statehood heroes, 26 May 2023
- Deccan Herald: Two-day bandh shuts down Seemandhra, 5 Oct 2013
- Asian Age: Curfew in Botsa town, 6 Oct 2013
- Governance Now: Telangana, the new state not easy to come by, Oct 2013
- PTI via Deccan Herald: Peace returns to violence-hit AP town; curfew lifted, 19 Oct 2013
- Sakshi Post: Seemandhra limps back to normal mode, Oct 2013
- Al Jazeera: Andhra assembly rejects Telangana bill, 30 Jan 2014
- Gulf Times: Chaos after MPs shame India, 14 Feb 2014
- Gulf News: Pepper spray used in Lok Sabha as Telangana bill tabled, 13 Feb 2014
- The Tribune: report on Lok Sabha passage of the Telangana Bill, 19 Feb 2014
- Daily Excelsior: LS passes Telangana bill amid din, protests, 19 Feb 2014
- The Peninsula: Lower house votes for new state, 19 Feb 2014
- Governance Now: Kiran quits as CM over Cong-BJP "shady deal", 19 Feb 2014
- IANS via The News Minute: The year when Telangana state became a reality, 29 Dec 2014
- Factly via Newslaundry: Centre to Andhra, we've given you everything we promised, 9 Sep 2016
- IANS via The News Minute: Telangana tells AP to withdraw court cases, 13 Jan 2022
- PTI via South First: Bifurcation blues, 10 years later, May 2024
- South First: Hyderabad no longer common capital, but issues persist, Jun 2024
- The News Minute: Andhra and Telangana CMs meet in Hyderabad, 7 Jul 2024
- Deccan Herald: Centre to form panel on Andhra-Telangana water dispute, 17 Jul 2025
- Siasat: HC declines to direct pension, plots for Telangana activists, 10 Feb 2026