Politics of Small States in India

The reorganization of states in India has for long been a contentious issue. The formation of the Telangana state after creating three new small states of Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, and Jharkhand in the twenty-first century has nurtured optimism that the spirit of federalism would be deepened in India. The procedure of creating the new state of Telangana had prompted diverse responses from the people. The supporters of the small states have hailed it as the right step taken after a long delay. At the same time, the opponents fear that such events may lead to the fragmentation of the country's unity into numerous small political units. The study primarily focuses on the politics of small states in India and tries to understand the circumstances for the demand of newer states on regional, lingual, cultural, and development grounds. It also tries to evaluate the genesis and justification for creating a new state with the help of an analysis of data based on an opinion survey.