Era of One-party Dominance these parties prevented the resentment with the system from turning anti-democratic. These parties also groomed the leaders who were to play a crucial role in the shaping of our country. In the early years there was a lot of mutual respect between the leaders of the Congress and those of the opposition. The interim government that ruled the country after the declaration of Independence and the first general election included opposition leaders like Dr.
Ambedkar and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee in the cabinet. Jawaharlal Nehru often referred to his fondness for the Socialist Party and invited socialist leaders like Jayaprakash Narayan to join his government. This kind of personal relationship with and respect for political adversaries declined after the party competition grew more intense. Thus this first phase of democratic politics in our country was quite unique.
The inclusive character of the national movement led by the Congress enabled it to attract different sections, groups and interests making it a broad based social and ideological Nehru’s Cabinet after the swearing-in of Chakravarti Rajagopalachari as Governor-General in . Sitting from left to right: Rafi Ahmad Kidwai, Baldev Singh, Maulana Azad, Prime Minister Nehru, Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, Mr. John Matthai and Jagjivan Ram. Standing from left to right: Mr.
Gadgil, Mr. Neogi, Dr. Ambedkar, Shyama Prasad Mukherji, Mr. Gopalaswamy Iyengar and Mr.
Jayramdas Daulatram. ……Tandon’s election is considered (by Congress members) more important than my presence in the Govt or the Congress….. .. ..
… ..I have completely exhausted my utility both in the Congress and Govt. Jawaharlal Nehru in a letter to Rajaji, after the election of Tandon as Congress president against his wishes.