Haider Ali was appointed a Foujedar of Dindigul in 1752 by Nanjeraj, the Commander- in-Chief of Mysore. He was Commander of the regions that extended upto the boundaries of Palghat. The expansionist ambitions of the Zamorin of Calicut led to the occupation of Naduvattam by him, belonging to the Palghat Raja, Komu Achan, the Raja of Palghat sought the half of the local Mysore Commander, Haider.
Seeing his chance to climb the ladder of glory approaching him, Haider accepted the request of the Raja and sent an army under Mukudam Ali, his brother-in-law. Assisted by the Palghat forces, this united front defeated the Zamorin and made him to return the occupied regions and the Zamorin was forced to pay 12 lakhs of rupees to Mysore as war indemnity which he never paid. Haider did not relinquish his claim and when his plans were ripe, he invaded Malabar on the ostensible reason supplied by the non-payment of the said reparation.
At this time the political situation at Seringapatam was in utter confusion. Haider rushed to the scene and made himself the undisputed master of the Mysore Kingdom. The Marathas were engaged heavily in the north and this provided Haider with a period of comparative security, necessary for the consolidation of his power. He evolved order out of chaos and enlarged his kingdom and established an efficient military force and administrative machinery. Thus, within a short period of five years Haider was at the helm of affairs of the state and soon assumed the role of the strongest and formidable military power in the South.