Using carrot and stick with dexterity to achieve his goal, Rao entered into an alliance with the Congress in 2004 but walked out in 2006 after the promise for a separate state was not met.
A fiery orator, KCR then launched a prolonged agitation to achieve his goal that plunged Andhra Pradesh into turmoil and bitterly divided its.
He often criticised leaders from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema (together known as Seemandhra), highlighting alleged injustice meted out to the Telangana region, striking a chord with masses in the 10 districts, which now comprise Telangana state.
While his slogan “Telangana waley jaago, Andhra waley bhago” (people of Telangana arise, people of Andhra run away) made him popular with the votaries of a separate state, his warning of a “civil war” and “bloodbath” made him controversial.
Now the tallest leader in Telangana, KCR had to face disappointment in 2009 Lok Sabha elections when his party could manage to win just two seats.
He was virtually the lone MP of his party as actress-turned-politician Vijayashanti joined hands with Congress and several other leaders deserted him for the then powerful Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.
However, Reddy's death in a helicopter crash in September 2009 provided him with an opportunity to bounce back.
KCR launched a fast unto death in support of statehood the same year as violence tightened its vice-like grip on Andhra Pradesh, leading the then Union Home Minister P Chidambaram to announce that steps would be taken for formation of Telangana.
The promise for creation of a new state, however, appeared headed nowhere when the UPA government said more consultations were needed following stiff opposition in Seemandhra to its “unilateral announcement”.
However, there was no looking back for Rao ever since Congress-led Centre, grappling with dwindling popularity in Andhra Pradesh, conceded the statehood demand last year, hoping for a tie-up with TRS in Telangana region to offset the probable losses in Seemandhra.
There were even talks about his party merging with the Congress ahead of the simultaneous Lok Sabha and Legislative Assembly elections this year.
KCR, in an astute political move, put paid to Congress's hopes as he decided against having any ties with it and went alone, reaping the reward for spearheading a sustained struggle for statehood.
Meanwhile, Union Ministers M Venkaiah Naidu and Prakash Javadekar have congratulated the people of Telangana and offered them full support of the Central Government.
“On behalf of the BJP and the Central Government, I would like to congratulate the people of Telangana. For years, people had been demanding for a separate state of Telangana for growth and prosperity,” the Urban Development Minister said.
He said that if the state government and people work hard, Telangana will prosper.
“The Central Government too will offer full support,” Naidu said.
Congratulating the people of Telangana, Environment Minister Javadekar called for peaceful coexistence of both Telangana and Seemandhra.
“We will go ahead with development plank and we firmly believe that both the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh will coexist peacefully and progress rapidly,” said Javadekar, who is also the Information and Broadcasting Minster.
President of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, Asaduddin Owaisi said there are great hopes and aspirations in Telangana.
Owaisi, however, said his party would never be part of any government in the state.
