The British government ruled the princely states of India through the political department. The Governor General of India, in the capacity of Viceroy i.e. Crown Representative (representative of the King of Britain), imposed on these kings the laws made and declared and undeclared by him.
When the date of independence of India approached, the need was felt for such a department which could talk to the native kings with full authority on behalf of the interim government of India. Therefore, on 5 July 1947, the princely department was formed under the leadership of Sardar Patel.
The Congress hoped that this Iron Man of the party would wrap up his dhoti and go after the kings. Patel alone was heavy enough to deal with the plans of Hamidulla Khan, Corfield and Ramaswami Iyer and to encircle the independent princely states in the Union of India. Sardar Patel came from the land of Gujarat province, which was called the Museum of Dwarf Princely States or Nail Princely States.
For this reason, Sardar Patel had a good understanding of the behavior of kings and princes. Due to his firm nature, Patel could speak well to the kings in their own language. VP Menon was made his advisor and secretary. He was the only officer who could solve the complex problem of the native states.
The combination of Patel's vigorous personality and Menon's flexible mind proved to be very useful on this occasion. With the pair of Patel and Menon, the seasoned politician in the background - Sardar K. M. Pannikar, V. T. Krishnamachari, Distinguished Ministers of Indian princely states and senior officers of the Indian Civil Service- C.S. Venkatachara, M.K. Vellodi, V. Shankar, Pandit Hari Sharma etc. were working.
Patel told Menon that Pakistan was working with the idea that it should annex some of the border states. The situation is with such dangerous possibilities that the freedom which we have got after facing great difficulties may be lost at the door of the states.