When the British left India, there was as many as 625 small and big native states which would also become like India and Pakistan. Consequently, the country would be divided into many small independent states. It was then that Sardar Patel took the initiative of uniting the country as a whole. He started on this mammoth task by forging a bridge of faith and confidence with the a Steel Frame. He entrusted very important tasks to the I.C.S officers who before particularly suspected that Sardar would have no faith in them. Thus he was able to win their support in the endeavor of nation building.
He made attempts at finalizing an agreement with the independent states. It provided that the Central Government will be vested the powers of defense, foreign policy and communications over the states. Some states like Hyderabad, Travancore declared themselves as sovereign and created hurdles in the agreement. On the other hand Jinnah made attempts to align some states with Pakistan.
To find an amicable solution to this complicated situation, Sardar issued a statement to the princes wherein he appealed to their sense of patriotism and reiterated that the new States department in no way, desire to have supremacy over them. "If at all, any sense of supremacy is required, it would be with common understanding and for common good. We are at a momentous stage in the history of India. By common endeavor, we can raise the country to new greatness, while lack of unity will expose us to unexpected calamities. I hope the Indian States will realize fully that if we do not cooperate and work together in the general interest, anarchy and chaos will overwhelm us all great and small, and lead us to total ruin". The statement which amply reflected his statesmanship and political sagacity, removed whatever doubts lurked in the minds of the princes.
A man of Iron will and absolute fearfulness, he tackled this problem in such a strategic manner which left even his wildest critics in complete amazement. Almost within a year he redrew the map of India with most of the states.
Still there were many small free states in Madhya Pradesh, Saurashtra and Chattishgarh. But with Sardar's strategy, state after state merged into the Indian Union. One after the other, Gwalior, Indore, Dhar, Dewas all accepted the advice of Sardar. Rajputana States followed the same. The Sikhs of Punjab also cooperated with the merger. But even after August 15, Hyderabad kept aloof from the agreement. So Sardar Patel with the consent of the Governor General sent police to Hyderabad. In about 108 hours, Hyderabad acceded and merged with India. In the same way Junagath, which had accepted an accession into Pakistan merged with India.
