Telangana statehood: A timeline of events

Telangana was formed after a movement in 1969 which went on for over four decades. With several ups and downs, Telangana movement gained momentum in 2012. The Lok Sabha passed the bill for bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh clearing the formation of Telangana as the 29th State in India.

Here’s a timeline of the history of Telangana since 1948 -

1948 - The Indian Army annexed princely state of Hyderabad, which comprised different regions including Telangana.

1950 - Telangana became Hyderabad State, Senior Administrator MA Vellodi was appointed as the first Chief Minister on 26 January 1950.

1952 - Burgula Ramakrishna Rao became the first elected chief minister of Hyderabad in the first democratic election.

1953 - Andhra Pradesh was the first state to be carved out of Madras province on linguistic basis on November 1, 1953. Kurnool town was named its capital after the death of Potti Sriramulu who sat on a 53-day hunger strike demanding the new state.

Burgula Ramakrishna Rao supported the proposal for amalgamation of Hyderabad state with Andhra state though there was opposition in Telangana region.

1955 - Andhra assembly accepted the merger proposal and passed a resolution on November 25, 1955, promising to safeguard the interests of Telangana.

1956 - On February 20, 1956, Telangana and Andhra leaders reached an agreement to Telangana and Andhra with promises to safeguard Telangana's interests. Bezawada Gopala Reddy and Burgula Ramakrishna Rao signed a “Gentlemen’s Agreement” to the effect.

Telugu-speaking areas of Hyderabad state eventually were merged with Andhra state under the States Re-organisation Act giving birth to the state of Andhra Pradesh on November 1, 1956. AP was known to be a united state for Telugu—speaking people with the city of Hyderabad, was made the capital of Andhra Pradesh state.

1969 - ‘Jai Telangana’ movement for separate statehood to Telangana began where over 350 protestors were killed in police firing. Marri Channa Reddy launched the Telangana Praja Samiti for the cause, however, the movement collapsed after the party merged with Congress and the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi made him CM.

Following several rounds of discussions held with leaders of the two regions, Indira Gandhi came up with an eight-point plan on April 12 but it was rejected by the Telangana leaders and protests continued.

1972 - ‘Jai Andhra’ movement began in coastal Andhra for separate Andhra State as a counter to Telangana struggle.

1973 - Centre reached a political settlement on September 21 and a 6-point formula put in place to placate people of the two regions.

1975 - Presidential order issued to implement Six-Point Formula, providing some safeguards to Telangana.

1985 - In 1985, employees from Telangana region complained about ‘injustice’ meted to people of the region regarding the appointments in government departments. A Government Order was issued by the then Telugu Desam Party government, headed by NT Rama Rao to safeguard the interests of Telangana people in government employment.

1997 - Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supported the demand for Telangana state and promised 'one vote in two states in 1998 elections.

1999 - Congress demanded the creation of Telangana state.

2001 - K Chandrasekhara Rao, walked out of TDP and launched Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) on April 27 to revive Telangana movement. The Central Working Committee of Congress sent a resolution to the then NDA government after the pressure from the Telangana Congress leaders seeking constitution of a second States Re-organisation Commission to look into the demand of Telangana state.

2004 - TRS fought elections in alliance with the Congress, won 5 Lok Sabha and 26 assembly seats. Congress came to power in 2004, both in the state and at the Centre while TRS became part of the coalition governments at both places.

2006 - In December 2006, TRS quit the coalition governments in the state and at the Centre as a protest over the delay in carving out the separate state and took up an independent fight.

2008 - TDP changed its stance and announced support for Telangana demand in October 2008

2009 - TRS contested elections in alliance with TDP but only managed to bag two Lok Sabha and 10 assembly seats. Uncertainty emerged in political circles following Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy’s death in a helicopter crash on September 2, 2009.

KCR began fast-unto-death for separate Telangana state on November 29, 2009.

Centre announced to initiate the process for formation of Telangana state on December 9, 2009.

The process was put on hold on December 23 as the Centre cited the need for consensus after protests in Rayalaseema and Andhra regions and en mass resignations of MPs and state legislators. Protests were held across Telangana with some students ending their lives for a separate state.

2010 -

Centre set up five-member Srikrishna Committee headed by former Supreme Court Judge BN Srikrishna to look into Telangana issue on February 3, 2010.

Srikrishna Committee submitted its report in December 2010 with six options as suggestions. Home minister Chidambaram seeks the opinion of all parties on the committee's report.

2011 -

Telangana MLAs and MPs across the state gave mass resignations on July 4, 2011.

2012 -

A series of agitations such as the Million March, Chalo Assembly and Sakalajanula Samme (general strike) were held in the Telangana region.

Following an all-party meeting on December 28, 2012, Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde informed that a decision will be announced in a month o find an “amicable solution” to the crisis.

2013 -

On July 1, 2013, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh announced that a decision on Telangana is in final stages. Two Congress MPs and former PCC chief K Kesava Rao join TRS on June 2, 2013 protesting delay in formation of Telangana.

Congress Working Committee (CWC) adopts a resolution to create Telangana on July 30 and AICC announces the decision to create Telangana.

Union Cabinet approves the proposal of bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and a group of Ministers is formed on October 3, 2013.

The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Draft) Bill prepared by the GoM is approved by the Union Cabinet on December 5, 2013.

Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Draft) Bill is sent to Andhra Pradesh Legislature Secretariat on December 12 by President with 43 days to elicit views under Article 3 of the Constitution.

Bill is introduced in both houses of the state legislature on December 16 amid clashes between Seemandhra and Telangana lawmakers.

2014 -

After disruptions for several days, debate finally began on January 8 on the bill in assembly and council. On January 21, 2014, the state government sought four more weeks to debate the bill but the President gave one week.

Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy gave notice to assembly speaker on January 27 for a resolution to reject the bill. Both houses of the state legislature passed by a voice vote official resolutions on January 30 and appealed to the President not to send the bill to parliament.

Chief minister staged sit—in in Delhi to oppose bifurcation on February 5 but the bill was cleared by the Union Cabinet February 7. Seemandhra leaders’ demand to make Hyderabad a union territory was rejected. Bill was then sent to the President for his approval to table it in parliament.

Six Congress MPs from Seemandhra were expelled on February 11 for moving a no-confidence motion against the government.

16 MPs including Rajagopal, an MP from Seemandhra who used pepper spray in the house for were suspended for the rest of the Lok Sabha session after the Bill was introduced.

Lok Sabha passes Telangana bill on February 18 through a voice vote after several protests which disrupted the proceedings of both houses.

India’s 29th state, Telangana comes into existence on June 2, 2014.