On 6 October 1934, Companys led a Catalan nationalist uprising not supported by the centre and conservative Catalan representatives, against the new centre and right-wing republican government led by Alejandro Lerroux, which included ministers from the political party CEDA, considered by many left-wing sectors as close to fascism. He proclaimed the Catalan State (Estat Català) within the "Spanish Federal Republic", for which action he was arrested and sentenced to thirty years in prison. This action was seen as an attempt at a Coup d'État as Companys revolted against the newly appointed centre-right republican government and joined the Asturias miners revolution. Companys asked Manuel Azaña, who happened to be in Barcelona during the events, to lead a newly proclaimed Spanish Republican government, a proposition that Azaña rejected. The proclamation was suppressed by the Spanish army, and the Catalan Government members were arrested. After the 1936 election and the victory of the left-wing coalition Popular Front, he was set free by the new government and the Catalan government was restored.