In the following passage some words have been deleted. Fill in the blanks with the help of the alternatives given. Select the most appropriate option for each blank.

Comprehension:
The political condition of India in the eighteenth century was one of extreme disunity (1)______ the decline of the Mughal empire, no (2)______ Indian power emerged to take its (3)______ in strength and prestige and to unite the (4)______ under a central authority. The Marathas who rose (5)______ the position of pre-eminence among the new Indian states did not prove capable of fulfilling that task.