पानीपत १७६१ (मराठा साम्राज्य एवं पानीपत महायुद्ध इतिहास)

8 PANIPAT: 1761
Nizam by fomenting an internal revolution there, through the agency of the
minister Shah Nawaz Khan The Peshwa was in the very thick of the con-
spiracy just at this juncture, but Bussy proved more than a match for the
Peshwa in this move He took the fort of Daulatabad from the hands of Shah
Nawaz Khan's retainer, in April 1758 Nizam Ali, the younger brother of the
Nizam Salabat Jang, was slowly and cautiously feeling his way and coming
forward under his brother's cover He caused the murders of Haidar Jang
the chief native assistant of Bussy, Shah Nawaz Khan and his son, thus ending
the French as well as the Maratha influence at the Nizam's Court at one
stroke Anticipating these developments, the Peshwa seems to have called back
his brother to be at his elbow in any crisis likely to arise from there
But as things then stood, this meant the weakening of the Maratha
strength in the Panjab just when it was most needed Raghoba and Malharrao
had acted wisely in choosing a proper time for pushing forward upto Lahore,
just when Abdalis troops there had been reduced to a small force But once
having pushed so far, it was necessary to build there an impregnable line across
Abdalis path Instead, they chose the wrong path—which has often been
repeated by the Marathas in their history—of returning home They had al-
ready made over the management of the conquered parts to Adina Beg and
left only a small force to aid him in any eventualities Their whole plan mis-
carried as later developments showed Raghoba and Malharrao returned at the
end of May 1758 They were conscious that the Maratha troops left behind
were inadequate While returning, they ordered certain other Maratha bri
gades to proceed to the Panjab to canton there Malharrao despatched Tukoj