C. Rajagopalachari - in Nehru's Cabinet

In Nehru's Cabinet

At Nehru's invitation, in 1950 Rajaji joined the Union Cabinet as Minister without Porfolio where he served as a buffer between Nehru and Home Minister Sardar Patel and on occasion offered to mediate between the two. Following Patel's death on December 15, 1950, Rajaji was finally made Home Affairs Minister and went on to serve for nearly 10 months. As had his predecessor, he warned Nehru about the expansionist designs of China and expressed regret over the Tibet problem. He also expressed concern over demands for new linguistically based states, arguing that they would generate differences amongst the people.

By the end of 1951, the differences between Nehru and Rajaji came to the fore. While Nehru perceived the Hindu Mahasabha to be the greatest threat to the nascent republic, Rajaji held the opinion that the Communists posed the greatest danger. He also adamantly opposed Nehru's decision to commute the death sentences passed on those involved in the Telengana uprising and his strong pro-Soviet leanings. Tired of being persistently overruled by Nehru with regard to critical decisions, Rajaji submitted his resignation on the "grounds of ill-health" and returned to Madras.