1. At the time of withdrawal of British from India, there were around 550 princely states in Indian territory. 

2. They become independent after the British rule. 

3. They were asked by the British to decide if they wanted to join India, Pakistan or remain independent. 

4. In Hyderabad and Travancore peasants were revolting with arms against the ruling Zamindars. 

5. Sardar Vallabhai Patel was given charge of this matter of merging Princely states into Indian Union in July 1947. 

6. He began discussing with princes the necessity to join India. 

7. All Princely States agreed to join Indian Union except Kashmir, Hyderabad and Junagadh. 

8. In Hyderabad and Junagadh, the rulers were Muslims and majority of population were Hindus, rulers want to join Pakistan people want to Join India, a conflict. 

9. In Kashmir the ruler was a Hindu and majority population were Muslims, so a difficulty in consensus. 

10. Thus it was difficult, but there states were also made to join in the next two years. 

11. Junagadh was merged after conducting referendum. 

12. Kashmir was merged after receiving a letter from the ruler.

13. But Hyderabad was merged after a police action. 

14. With great efforts of Patel, this challenging task was completed by merging these states.

(OR) 

1. The 550 princely states were given freedom to decide their future. The ordinary people did not want princely states to continue. 

2. They started movements and revolts. 

3. Guided by the masterful diplomacy of Sardar Patel, the home minister, most of them acceded to India. 

4. However, the Nawab of Junagadh, the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Maharaja of Jammu & Kashmir did not accept to unite with India.

5. Sardar Patel made it clear that if they do not join India, the army would have to be sent to complete the process of unification. 

6. With the military action on these, the work of integration of princely states had been completed.