Why did Mahatma Gandhi choose Jawaharlal Nehru as India's first Prime Minister of India ?

Why Mahatma Gandhi chose Jawaharlal Nehru as India's first Prime Minister.

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Written by Akhilesh Jha, IPS and Currently Director of International Police Academy,  Brussels, Belgium-- India  Affairs. 

( A) Introduction

The transition of power in 1947 was a watershed moment in Indian history. The choice of the first Prime Minister was not merely a political appointment but a strategic decision to ensure the stability and future trajectory of a newborn nation.  There  is a popular  perception  doing  rounds  that  Sardar  Patel  was  bypassed in spite of  12 out of 15 Provincial Congress Committees favoured Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel for the Congress Presidency in 1946—a position that effectively led to the Prime Ministership .But  this is  not true . Equating  Congress  Presidentship with  Prime Ministership was wrong  . Deliberate  villification  campaigns  are being  launched  to denigrate  Jawaharlal Nehru  . The  entire  hypothesis  is  built  upon  the book  written  by  J B Kriplani who  was  a staunch  opponent of  Jawaharlal Nehru. Moreover,  It is  pertinent  to  note that  neither  any contemporary  leader  nor any news paper voiced  dissent with regard to the appointment of Nehru as president of Congress or the prime ministership. Moreover,  had Sardar Patel been appointed as the President of Congress,  that Resolution was sure to fail the approval from the AICC where JawaharlalNehru had absolute majority.  .In 1951 , Kriplani formed  a new  Party called  Kishan  Mazdoor Praja Party by bifurcating from the Congress.  . In 1952 , he merged  his Party  with  Socialist  Party and  renamed  it Praja Socialist Party  . Mahatma Gandhi’s intervention in favour of Jawaharlal Nehru was rooted in several pragmatic and visionary factors.

1. Pan-Indian Mass Appeal and Secular Image

Nehru was established as an "All India Leader" with a mass appeal that transcended regional and religious boundaries. While Sardar Patel was a formidable organizer and fundraiser, his primary influence was often seen as concentrated among the farmers of the Bombay Presidency. In contrast, Nehru’s charisma drew crowds of hundreds of thousands from Peshawar to Dhaka.At a time when India was grappling with communal tensions, Nehru’s acceptance among Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and Christians made him the ideal candidate to lead a secular, pluralistic India. India needed  such  a mass leader who should  have  mass appeal  through out the length and breadth  of the  country  . India  was  in the  making  process. Foreign media  and  British  Leadership  were  skeptical about  the capacity  of  Indian  leaders  to keep  India  united.  Violent communist movements in Telangana,  ethnic turmoils in the North- Eastern  states ,  clamour  for  separate  Dravidistan and  tantrums  of  Sheikh  Abdullah  in Jammu and Kashmir further  necessitated  a leader  who  could  be acceptable  to  all  communities.  It  was  because  of  this  masterstroke  that  Congress  could  rule  this  country  for  the  next  55 years  , giving  the  nascent  democracy  a stability.  Congress  belied the doomsayers.  

2. Visionary and International Outlook

Gandhi recognized that the first Prime Minister would need to present India’s case on the global stage. Nehru’s deep understanding of international affairs, combined with his intellectual prowess as evidenced by his writings like The Discovery of India and Glimpses of World History, gave him a global stature that was unmatched by his contemporaries.  His command over English, Hindi, and Urdu allowed him to communicate effectively both with the international community and the Indian masses. 

3. Ideological Legacy and "Speaking Gandhi's Language"

Despite their differences in economic philosophies—Gandhi favoured village-centric economy while Nehru advocated for industrialization , albeit  heavy industries,  Gandhi famously stated that "Jawahar will speak my language" when he was gone. He believed that Nehru’s commitment to social justice, internationalism, and the removal of the zamindari system was essential for the modernization of India. Gandhi trusted that under Nehru's stewardship, the foundational values of the freedom struggle would remain secure. 

4. Age and Health Considerations  practically also played a significant role. In 1947, Nehru was 57 years old, representing the younger generation of the Congress leadership. Conversely, Sardar Patel was 14 years older and suffered from failing health, including multiple heart attacks.  Patel’s passing away in December 1950, just three years after independence, validated the concern that India needed a leader who could provide long-term stability during its formative years. 

5. Historical Precedence (The 1929 Lahore Session)

Nehru’s leadership credentials were solidified as early as the 1929 Lahore Session, where, under his presidency, the Congress first declared Purna Swaraj (Complete Independence).  Since then, he had been the face of the Congress’s radical and progressive wing, making his elevation in 1946 a culmination of a trajectory that began nearly two decades earlier. 

Conclusion

Mahatma Gandhi’s preference for Jawaharlal Nehru was a decision based on the immediate needs of a diverse and newly independent nation. By choosing a leader with unparalleled mass appeal, an internationalist vision, and the physical vigour to lead for decades, Gandhi ensured that the "Idea of India" as a modern, secular, and democratic republic would have a strong foundation. While Patel remained the "Iron Man" who integrated the Princely states, Nehru became the architect of modern India, fulfilling the specific role Gandhi envisioned for him.