New History of the Marathas v3.c37.s2.4

v3.c37.s2.4

Nana at Poona at first supported Ali Bahadur, but soon realized the force of Mahadji's contention and wrote to Ali Bahadur, "You must deliver the Gosavi to Mahadji and close the affair. You must not support him either with money or with your armed forces. You must not conduct independent negotiations with the Rajputs or other chiefs, so long as Mahadji alone is responsible for the whole management of northern affairs. You must do nothing behind his back.” Nana wrote to Tukoji also advising him to accept Mahadji’s leadership. At the same time Nana never gave up his own rooted suspicions about Mahadji. Throughout the vague and varying instructions he wrote at this time one hardly discovers any consistency in his views on the situation in the north. In one letter he clearly intimated to Ali Bahadur that Mahadji would never allow him an independent field of action and that he would always contrive to bring him into trouble. At another time he wrote that Ali must obey Mahadji fully. After a good deal of correspondence it was decided that the Gosavi should be asked to do duty in Bundelkhand. Pressure from friends and mediators made Mahadji accept the sacred oaths taken by Ali Bahadur; he restored the Gosavi’s family to him on Ali Bahadur remaining guarantee for his good conduct. Thus the affair came to be temporarily closed.