This study deals with the efforts at decentralisation and development in four south Indian states:Karnataka,Andhra Pradesh,Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The study takes a comparative approach to studying economic reforms and political decentralisation processes in these states. The study contends that economic reforms have a tendency to strengthen state level regimes, which in turn,may or may not choose to decentralise further in their in their polities. Taking inspiration from the latest work on comparing state level politics, the study argues that two sets of comparisons are possible: Karnataka's experience with Kerala and that of Andhra Pradesh's experience with Tami Nadu. The study however also takes into account the fact that other varieties of comparisons are also possible between the south Indian states. This unique study brings together the experience of four south Indian states in their attempts to foster decentralised governance and the challenges they face in their developmental politics, particularly since the onset of economic and decentralisation reforms in India since the early ninties.