In the early years, Nehru’s Cabinet consisted of the stalwarts of the independence movement who had their own ideas on how the country should move towards its agreed goals and did not hesitate to disagree with him. Once they were gone, he tended to appoint quiet and rather colourless men of uncertain ability and distinction whose merit had been to avoid giving or taking offence. Increasingly, Cabinet meetings became like tutorials with Nehru doing most of the talking. The Cabinet soon ceased to be a centre of creative and independent thought and played little role in the regeneration of India.
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