This books provides a comprehensive account of the Telangana People's struggle during 1946-51 to point out the political lessons that emerged from this movement. Beginning with an account of feudal oppression in the Nizam-governed Hyderabad state and the organization of masses, against the backdrop of the national movement, the books recounts the shaping of an alternate nationalism that gave particular emphasis to the struggle of the depressed classes. It discusses the sacrifices of the fighting peasantry of Telangana and the Visalandhra Stateunit of the Communist Party which led the uprising. During the course of the struggle, the peasantry in about 3000 villages succeeded in setting up gram raj, on the basis of village panchayats. About one million acres of land was redistributed among the people and all evictons and forced labour service were abolished. The movement also paved the way for redrawing the political map of India on a national democratic and linguistic basis. After this movement, the Communist Party emerged as the biggest opposition group in the first parliament following the 1952 general election.