This shows the politics of development is ‘size neutral’. Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh can be categorised as ‘developed’ while Nagaland, Mizoram or Manipur are ‘disturbed’ because underdevelopment has created social discontent. The same is the story of big states like Tamil Nadu which can be characterised as ‘developed’ in comparison to ‘underdeveloped’ large states like UP. Robert Dahl, an American political scientist, had written in his classic, Democracy and Size, that it cannot be conclusively proved that the small size of the state is conducive to the development of meeting the specific aspirations of the local people. The poor tribals of Jharkhand have gained nothing from the creation of a new ‘tribal’ state, even as the coal mine mafia continues to prosper.

Today it appears that the demand for the creation of a new state is raised to achieve the political goals of ambitious leaders who want ‘little empires’ to rule.