<P> British rule had lost its legitimacy for most Hindus and conclusive proof of this came in the form of the 1946 elections with the Congress winning 91 percent of the vote among non-Muslim constituencies, thereby gaining a majority in the Central Legislature and forming governments in eight provinces, and becoming the legitimate successor to the British government for most Hindus . If the British intended to stay in India the acquiescence of politically active Indians to British rule would have been in doubt after these election results, although the views of many rural Indians were uncertain even at that point . The Muslim League won the majority of the Muslim vote as well as most reserved Muslim seats in the provincial assemblies and it also secured all the Muslim seats in the Central Assembly . Recovering from its performance in the 1937 elections, the Muslim League was finally able to make good on the claim that it and Jinnah alone represented India's Muslims and Jinnah quickly interpreted this vote as a popular demand for a separate homeland; he proclaimed: </P> <P> The Muslims and Hindus belong to two different religious philosophies, social customs, and literatures . They neither intermarry nor interdine (eat) together and, indeed, they belong to two different civilizations . </P> <P> However, tensions heightened while the Muslim League was unable to form ministries outside the two provinces of Sind and Bengal, with the Congress forming a ministry in the NFWP and the key Punjab province coming under a coalition ministry of the Congress, Sikhs and Unionists . </P> <P> The British, while not approving of a separate Muslim homeland, appreciated the simplicity of a single voice to speak on behalf of India's Muslims . Britain had wanted India and its army to remain united for the purpose of keeping India in its system of' imperial defence' . With India's two political parties unable to come to an agreement, Britain devised the Cabinet Mission Plan . Through this mission, Britain hoped to preserve the united India which they and the Congress desired, while concurrently securing the essence of Jinnah's demand for a Pakistan through' groupings' . The Cabinet mission scheme encapsulated a federal arrangement consisting of three groups of provinces . Two of these groupings would consist of predominantly Muslim provinces, while the third grouping would be made up of the predominantly Hindu regions . The provinces would be autonomous but the center would retain control over defence, foreign affairs and communications . Though the proposals did not offer independent Pakistan, the Muslim League accepted the proposals . Even though the unity of India would have been preserved, the Congress leaders, especially Nehru, believed it would leave the Center weak . On 10 July 1946 Nehru gave a "provocative speech", rejected the idea of grouping the provinces and "effectively torpedoed" both the Cabinet mission plan and the prospect of a United India . </P>

Who led the campaign resulting in the annexation of sindh