Telangana - India's 29th state

The Congress leadership bit the Telangana bullet. It decided to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh to create a separate state of Telangana—a move that will be a loss to the politically muscular state but will be a gain for the Congress as it’s expected to revive the party’s fortunes in the state ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha election.
Hyderabad will remain the common capital of the splintered state for 10 years—a balancing act that recognizes Telangana’s claim on the city but seeks to soften the blow to the opponents who were also concerned about the investments of coastal Andhra businesses in the capital. The Centre will help AP build a new capital.
There are indications that a mechanism will be created to vest the governor with oversight of law and order in the city: an arrangement that falls short of turning the city into a Union Territory but reassures those worried about a sudden change in its character.
The call on whether to include two districts of Rayalaseema region, Ananthpur and Kurnool, will be taken later. The Congress leadership favours the idea but is wary of committing itself before fully assessing the fallout.
Statehood movements across India are expected to get a boost. In Darjeeling, Gorkhaland leaders have called for a series of agitations. The agitation for Bodoland may be revived in Assam. Demands for Bundelkhand (out of UP and MP) and Vidarbha (from Maharashtra) are also alive

WHAT NEXT
1 GoM will be set up to consider issues like territorial boundaries and status of Hyderabad as joint capital
2 GoM recommendations go to cabinet in form of a bill
3 After Cabinet approval, home ministry will send bill to President for consent
4 President under Art 3 will seek opinion of state legislature
5 Once legislature gives its opinion, President will approve bill for introduction in Parliament
6 Parliament needs to approve the bill by simple majority
7 President then gives assent to legislation and India’s 29th state will be notified

Giving its nod to the division of AP after consultations with UPA partners, the CWC said that the Centre should take steps to form a separate state of Telangana. It said that the Centre should institute a mechanism “to address the concerns of Andhra and Rayalseema on sharing of river waters, power and security of citizens”. The CWC also said the Polavaram Irrigation Project should be declared a national project.
The Congress is expected to act expeditiously in order to reap the goodwill in the Telangana region. There are indications that the Union Cabinet may decide on Thursday to request the President to ask the Andhra Pradesh legislature to adopt a resolution spelling out where it stands on the issue of bifurcation.
The resolution of the state assembly will not be binding. Under the Constitution, the power to create new states and alter the boundaries of existing ones rests solely with Parliament.