Fall of the Mughal Empire v2.c28.s6.3

v2.c28.s6.3

Ramchandra Ganesh welcomed Najib's offer of co-operation as a godsend, remarking, "We have come to this country after ten years, and if we do not first make friends with Najib, then all the par-Ruhelas and Shuja would join him against us (in self-defence), and he is also very powerful in himself. With such a combination of enemies against us, we shall have to fight a hard fight, the result of which none can foresee. Therefore, we ought to reassure this man, make him our ally, first attack the Jat Rajah, and easily exact a large contribution from him. Whatever was done by Najib against us (in 1759-61) is now a thing of the past." Tukoji Holkar was the hereditary friend of Najib and used to supply him with secret intelligence about the happenings in the Maratha camp and timely reports of Mahadji's intended treachery towards him, or merely Tukoji's own suspicion of such designs. They expected to win over the par-Ruhelas through Najib and thus secure tribute and restitution of territory from them without a blow, so that the undivided forces of the Marathas might be employed to squeeze the friendless Jat Rajah.