the leadership of the Indian National Congress (INC) always sought to function on the basis of a consensus. It was only Mahatma Gandhi who had the moral authority to force his point of view on the organization. The rest, including Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, had to learn to take everyone along. As prime minister, Nehru had no option but to work with colleagues in his council of ministers who had very different views on economic, social and foreign policy.
