After the initial military successes of the Revolt of 1857, what broad objective did most of the leading rebels and princes appear to work for in terms of Indias political future?

Introduction / Context:
This question concerns the nature and aims of the Revolt of 1857, often called the First War of Independence by some historians and a large scale mutiny by others. After the rebels achieved some early success, historians have tried to understand what overall political objective they pursued. Recognising that aim helps you see whether the revolt was primarily conservative, seeking restoration, or modern, seeking a new order.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The time frame is during and just after the initial successes of the Revolt of 1857.
• The leaders include princes, dispossessed rulers, sepoy leaders and local chiefs.
• The question asks for their broad collective objective regarding Indias political future.
• Various possible aims are listed, from restoring Mughal power to creating a federation or a modern democracy.

Concept / Approach:
The key concept is that the revolt was largely backward looking rather than revolutionary in a modern sense. The rebels opposed British rule and wanted to remove foreign authority. However, they did not have a unified programme for a modern nation state or democratic institutions. Instead, many leaders hoped to restore the old pre British political order, including the authority of the Mughal emperor and traditional princes and landlords. Therefore, the best description is that they aimed to eliminate foreign rule and return to the existing old order, not to create a new type of state.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Bahadur Shah II was proclaimed as a symbol of authority, but real power was exercised by local leaders in different regions.Step 2: Note that the rebels did not issue a single national manifesto calling for a modern constitution or democratic rights.Step 3: Understand that most leaders wanted to regain their lost privileges, jagirs or kingdoms that had been taken away by British policies like Doctrine of Lapse.Step 4: From this, infer that their objective combined two elements removal of British rule and restoration of traditional structures.Step 5: Among the options, choose the one that explicitly states elimination of foreign rule and return of the old order.

Verification / Alternative check:

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• To restore the former glory of the Mughal Empire alone: The Mughal emperor was used as a symbol, but many regional leaders had their own interests and did not work only for Mughal revival.
• To form a federation of Indian states under Bahadur Shah II: There is no clear evidence of a planned federal structure; the revolt lacked a coherent constitutional design.
• To secure independent power only in their own regional territories: Some leaders had narrow aims, but the overall objective also included throwing out the British from larger territories.
• To establish a modern democratic national government: This is a later concept; the 1857 rebels did not have a democratic national programme in the modern sense.

Common Pitfalls:
Many candidates either romanticise the revolt as a fully modern national movement or, in reaction, treat it as purely local and selfish. The reality is more nuanced. It was broadly anti British and sought to restore an older pattern of rule, but it lacked a single modern national ideology. The safest exam strategy is to pick an option that mentions both elimination of foreign rule and restoration of traditional structures, which matches the mainstream historical interpretation.

Final Answer:
After the initial successes of the Revolt of 1857, most leaders broadly aimed at eliminating foreign rule and restoring the old political and social order in India.