Correct Option (A):
Awadh was annexed by the British in 1856, during the tenure of Governor-General Lord Dalhousie. The annexation was carried out on the pretext of alleged misgovernance and maladministration by Nawab Wajid Ali Shah. As Nawab Wajid Ali Shah had legal heirs, the Doctrine of Lapse, which was applied to other states, could not be used in Awadh's case. The annexation of Awadh, a significant and prosperous state, caused widespread resentment among the local population, including soldiers, landlords, and peasants, and is considered a major contributing factor to the Revolt of 1857.
Incorrect Options:
Jhansi (1853), Nagpur (1854), and Satara (1848) were all annexed by the British under the Doctrine of Lapse. This policy allowed the British East India Company to annex the territories of Indian princely states whose rulers died without a natural male heir, claiming that the right of ruling the state lapsed to the paramount power (the British). This was distinct from the pretext of misgovernance used for Awadh.