The Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU) was a state of India, uniting eight princely states between 1948 and 1956. The capital and principal city was Patiala. The state covered an area of 26,208 km². Shimla, Kasauli, Kandaghat and Chail also became part of the PEPSU. History Princely states union It was created by combining eight princely states, which maintained their native rulers : Six Salute states Patiala, title Maharaja, Hereditary salute of 17-guns (19-guns local) Jind, title Maharaja, Hereditary salute of 13-guns (15-guns personal and local) Kapurthala, title Maharaja, Hereditary salute of 13-guns (15-guns personal and local) Nabha, title Maharaja, Hereditary salute of 13-guns (15-guns local): Faridkot, title Raja, Hereditary salutes of 11-guns Malerkotla, title Nawab, Hereditary salute of 11-guns and two Non-salute states Kalsia, title Raja (till 1916 Sardar) Nalagarh, title Raja. The state was inaugurated on 15 July 1948 and formally became a state of India in 1950. Successor states On 1 November 1956, PEPSU was merged mostly into Punjab State following the States Reorganisation Act. A part of the former state of PEPSU, including the present day Jind district and the Narnaul tehsil in north Haryana as well as the Loharu tehsil, Charkhi Dadri district and Mahendragarh district in southwest Haryana, presently lie within the state of Haryana, which was separated from Punjab on 1 November 1966. Some other areas that belonged to PEPSU, notably Solan and Nalagarh, now lie in the state of Himachal Pradesh. Rajpramukh and Uparajpramukh Chief Ministers Deputy Chief Minister Institutions Heads of state and government When the state was formed, the then-Maharaja of Patiala, Yadavindra Singh, was appointed its Rajpramukh (equivalent to Governor). He remained in office during the entire length of the state's short existence. The then Maharaja of Kapurthala, Jagatjit Singh, served as Uparajpramukh (lieutenant-governor). Gian Singh Rarewala was sworn in on 13 January 1949 as the first Chief Minister of PEPSU. Col. Raghbir Singh became the next Chief Minister on 23 May 1951, and Brish Bhan the Deputy Chief Minister. The state elected a 60-member state legislative assembly on 6 January 1952. The Congress Party won 26 seats and the Akali Dal won 19 seats. On 22 April 1952, Gian Singh Rarewala again became Chief Minister, this time an elected one. He led a coalition government, called the "United Front", formed by the Akali Dal and various independents. On 5 March 1953 his government was dismissed and