Nomination of Sardar Vallabhai Patel for Prime Minister

It has been said by historians that Sardar Patel was the original choice of the selection committee as the First PM of India. The selection committee contained representatives of Congress Party from 16 states. In the 1946 election for the Congress presidency, Patel stepped down in favour of Nehru at the request of Gandhi. The elections importance stemmed from the fact that the elected President would lead free Indias first Government. Gandhi asked all 16 states representatives and Congress to elect the right person and Sardar Patels name was proposed by 13 states representatives out of 16, but Patel respected Gandhis request to not be the first prime minister. There are many unverifiable reasons given for Patels change of stance. One among them is that Nehru threatened to break the Congress Party if Patel did not step down and Gandhi saw this as a threat for Indian Independence. Another version of the events dictates that Gandhi regarded Patel as a capitalist and imperialistic leader and Gandhi envisioned India as a socialist nation and thus regarding Nehru to be a better leader than Patel.