On June 2, 2014, the creation of Telangana from Andhra Pradesh unleashed a Pandora's box of demands for new states in other parts of the country. Demands for additional states are old and have been dormant for a long time. However, the establishment of a new state Telengana has strengthened old demands while also generating new ones for the creation of new states. Supporters of the need for new states believe that existing states are too vast and difficult to manage. For example, Uttar Pradesh is India's most populated state, with a total population of 19, 95, 81,477 (Census 2011) split among 71 districts, making seamless and equitable administration nearly impossible. 

Due to their compulsion of vote bank politics, most political parties favour the concept of smaller states. Some political groups, on the other hand, are opposed to the idea of separating existing states and creating new smaller states. They argue that such a trend will acquire traction, leading to the strengthening of centrifugal forces and possibly leading to the country's collapse, as happened in the former Soviet Union in the 1990s. Demand for additional states is currently growing in numerous sections of the country, and many more demands may emerge in the future. The following are some of the significant flashpoints where demands for new and smaller states are growing more vocal:

a) Vidarbha:

The Vidarbha region is made up of 11 districts in Maharashtra's eastern region, with Nagpur as its capital. This region, which is part of Maharashtra's cotton growing belt, is rich in mineral and forest resources. However, poverty and starvation afflict this region. This region accounted for over 70% of Maharashtra's farmer suicides in the 2010s. In 1956, the demand for a separate state of Vidarbha was initially made. In the mid-1950s, the States Reorganisation Commission suggested the creation of a separate state of Vidarbha.

b) Harit Pradesh:

Not just the people, but occasionally even the ruling party calls for the state to be divided. This was the case in Uttar Pradesh in 2010, when the ruling party proposed dividing the state into four states: Harit Pradesh (Western U.P.), Awadh Pradesh (Central U.P.), Purvanchal (Eastern U.P.), and Bundelkhand. Rashtriya Lok Dal, on the other hand, was the one who first demanded that Harit Pradesh be separated from Uttar Pradesh (RLD). In 1953, the National Reorganisation Commission debated the Harit radish issue, which included roughly 24 agriculturally rich areas and a planned capital in Meerut. Following that, in 1960, the need was increased. RLD launched a major campaign for Harit Pradesh only in the 1990s, but the movement never gained traction.

c) Awadh Pradesh:

Awadh Pradesh is a state in Uttar Pradesh that consists of roughly 21 districts. It is located in the centre of the state. Between Harit Pradesh in the west and Purvanchal in the east, it constitutes a transitional zone. Its capital will be Lukcnow if it is founded.

d) Purvanchal:

 If formed, Purvanchal will cover the eastern part of Uttar Pradesh, with 27 districts including Gorakhpur, Allahabad, and Varanasi. Purvanchal's independence movement began in 1996 and lasted until 2002. After that, there had been no significant movement. If founded, this state would desire Allahabad to be its capital.

e) Bundelkhand:

This dry and underdeveloped zone is made up of seven Uttar Pradesh districts and five Madhya Pradesh districts. Surprisingly, at the time of independence, Bundelkhand was a separate state. It was divided into two halves and amalgamated with the provinces of Uttar Pradesh and Central Provinces (Madhya Pradesh). Bundelkhand is a distinct agro-climatic zone that necessitates agricultural policies tailored to the region, including as irrigation and other agricultural inputs. Bundelkhand Mukti Morcha (BMM) was the first to call for a separate state of Bundelkhand in 1989. Following recurrent droughts and crop failures over the last 15 years, this demand has gained traction. Banda would most likely be the capital of this state if it were founded.

f) Gorkhaland:

Gorkhaland is mostly Darjeeling and its surrounding territories in West Bengal's northern region. Gorkahaland's demand for independence dates back more than a century. The Gorkha National Liberation Front led a 28-month campaign for Gorkhaland in the 1980s, which resulted in the deaths of more than 1200 people. Gorkha Janmukti Morch (GJM) has been at the forefront of the campaign for statehood since 2007. It picked up steam again in 2017, but it faded out quickly. The national government's promise of an autonomous region for the hills within West Bengal has failed to satisfy the majority of Gorkhas. The demand for a distinct state of Gorkhaland is primarily motivated by the need to protect the Gorkhas' identity as well as the region's general growth.

g) Bodoland:

The Bodoland People's Front is pushing for the separation of Bodoland from Assam. It is a short strip of land that runs east-west just south of the Assam-Bhutan border. This region includes the northern parts of the districts of Kokrajhar, Barpeta, Nathari, and Darang.

h) Garoland:

Garoland is a tree district in western Meghalaya that includes the South Garo Hills, East Garo Hills, and West Garo Hills. The Garos are one of three major tribes in Meghalaya who have demanded their own state. Garoland is located in Meghalaya's western part. Khasi and Jaintia are the other two tribes.

i) Greater Koch Bihar:

 It comprises the present-day Bengal districts of Darjiling, Jalpaiguri, Koch Bihar, Uttar Dinajpur, and Dakshin Dinajpur, as well as the undivided Assam district of Goalpara, which comprised today's Bongaigoan, Dhubri, and Kokrajhar. Various treaties gave the British government control of the Cooch Behar kingdom from 1773 until 1902, and the area was returned to the royals 27 days before independence. The kingdom was finally unified with India on August 28, 1949. The demand for a breakaway state began in 1998, but by 2006, it had dwindled. However, once the federal government created Telengana as a distinct state, desire for the construction of this state has grown again.

j) Kamatpur:

It is made up of 17 districts in the northern section of modern-day West Bengal, as well as contiguous areas of modern-day Assam. The people of this region want their own state, similar to Gorkhaland and Greater Koch Bihar. Gorkhaland, Greater Koch Bihar, and Kamatpur are some of the areas claimed by supporters of each of the three states.