in co-operation with Ben Bella of Algeria, also playing a leading role. Coup against Khrushchev Shelepin left the KGB in November 1961 on being promoted to a position as Secretary of the Central Committee, from where he still exercised control over the KGB, which was taken over by his client and protégé Vladimir Semichastny. He also had powers of supervision over justice and transport. In 1962, Khrushchev also made him Chairman of the powerful new Committee of Party and State Control, and First Deputy Prime Minister. He was a principal player in the coup against Khrushchev in October 1964, obviously influencing the KGB to support the conspirators. Shelepin's reward was to be made a full member of the most important political body, the Politburo, in November 1964, following the successful overthrow of Khrushchev —by a significant margin its youngest member, at the age of 46. He was also the only Politburo member who was simultaneously a member of the secretariat, and of the Council of Ministers. Shelepin probably expected to become First Secretary and de facto leader of the USSR. He controlled the KGB and led a large hard-line faction within the Party,. Alexander Solzhenitsyn suggested that Shelepin had been the choice of the surviving Stalinists, who asked "what had been the point of overthrowing Khrushchev if not to revert to Stalinism?" As far as his own views on the role of Soviet policy went, Shelepin opposed the relaxation of tensions with the United States in foreign affairs, and favored a return to domestic policies that promoted discipline and centralization within the wider Union. However, he lacked influence in the military, and was viewed very suspiciously by most Central Committee and Government officials outside his faction, who were well-aware of his ambitions. Fall from power Shelepin's colleagues on the Politburo watched him carefully, seeking to halt his ambitions. The first blow was the abolition of the Party-State Control Committee in December 1965, as a result of which he lost his status as Deputy prime minister. From 1965–1970 witnessed the systematic dismissal of his most powerful allies within the Party and Government. In May 1967, Shelepin underwent an emergency operation on his appendix, which kept him in hospital for eight days. In his absence, the Politburo decided, after a discussion lasting ten minutes, to sack his ally, Semichastny, and appointed Yuri Andropov Chairman of the KGB. In July 1967, Shelepin was