Elections to the Legislatures of Provinces were held in 1937. The Sardar was the Chairman of the Congress Parliamentary Board. Under his stewardship the Congress secured a majority of seats in eight provinces and formed ministries. The reins of all of them were in the hands of the Sardar. He unhesitatingly took to task any minister who did wrong.

In 1942 the Congress called on the British to quit India. It started what came to be known as the 'Quit India Movement' or the 'Chalejav Movement'. The government jailed all the important leaders of the Congress, including Sardar Patel. Patel fell ill in the prison. The government would not allow his doctor to examine him in the prison. All the leaders were released after three years. At the time the Muslim League went on creating complications, and made the achievement of freedom more difficult. Patel declared, "We shall fight all those who come in the way of India's freedom."