With a POD no earlier than 1900 is it possible that the princely states survive in one way or another in an India independent of the UK?
Chances of the Princely States surviving in an Independent India?
- Thread starter SavoyTruffle
- Start date
You’d need to drastically change the views of independence leaders. As far as many of them were concerned, the princes were quislings that allied with the “Britishers”.
To do this, you need to keep Indians from hating the British as much as IOTL. Maybe have India as a dominion in 1920 as Motilal Nehru wanted? Then, maybe, the princes can still have some status, though I think their land will still be redistributed. They’d also have political power - even IOTL, the Swatantra Party was essentially supported from the remaining wealth of former princely families.
To do this, you need to keep Indians from hating the British as much as IOTL. Maybe have India as a dominion in 1920 as Motilal Nehru wanted? Then, maybe, the princes can still have some status, though I think their land will still be redistributed. They’d also have political power - even IOTL, the Swatantra Party was essentially supported from the remaining wealth of former princely families.