In December 2023, a few months before the parliamentary elections; I had tried to put up the argument that if Narendra Modi did not exist, the country would have to invent him.
The Sickular world would have tried "re-inventing" him. Well, that is --- many years after the 'train compartment' burnt at Godhra !
The analogy is not mine original as decades back an ardent observer of Chinese developments had written that: “If China did not exist, someone will have to invent her”.
Narendra Moi just had his birthday on Sept 17th and people still make all sorts of comments on his life and political career -- his metamorphosis ! There have been some requests and rather suggestions that I should try to write something on his 'inner circle'. With Modi he is the boss - that is Numero Uno.
His team does not interact with media persons much and generally it is given to understand that as a boss, Namo gives his ministers and officers "a clearly defined role" and expects 100 per cent performance and results if not more.
Modi's inner circle definitely includes the likes of Late Arun Jaitley and present Home Minister Amit Shah.
In 2024, a western news daily wrote -- “No 1 is Modi, and because he is Modi, he has to be all the numbers from one to 10 .....
Then 11 to 30 is Amit Shah, and then there are a bunch of people who are told what to do".
His team of 'crisis managers' have changed drastically and new ones have replaced the earlier faces. But not much is known why some of them had fallen from grace or there is something else.
One such character is Suresh Prabhu. Originally, a Shiv Sainik; Modi made him join BJP to make him a Minister. But in 2024 -- he missed the cabinet berth and since then he has not been heard much or even no heart at all.
PM Modi also has immense trust in Ajit Doval, - the NSA and Namo's 'eyes and ears for strategic and foreign policy matters'. Born on Jan 20, 1945; Doval is already 80.
There is large scale speculation on whether a new NSA will be appointed soon.
If you type 'Ajit Doval' in a search engine -- Google shoots back - "People also ask
How powerful is Ajit Doval?"
And the answer is also available -- "He is widely considered to be one of Modi's most powerful and trusted advisors, with major influence over India's national security and foreign affairs."
Of course it goes without stating that Doval has been 'admired as well as criticised' for his nationalist/hawkish views, known as the “Doval Doctrine”, especially on Kashmir.
He did play a key role in abrogating Article 370. In 2014, it is said it was Doval who mooted the idea to Modi to invite all SAARC nation heads or heads of Govts including the then Pak PM Nawaz Sharif.
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| Doval with Rajiv Gandhi |
In 2020, 'The Guardian' newspaper published an article under the headline -
'The power behind the thrones: 10 political movers and shakers who will shape 2020'
Ajit Doval figured in that.
The article ran : "Doval has become a cult figure in some quarters thanks to his background in intelligence-gathering, counter-terrorism and counter-espionage, including in Kashmir, Punjab and north-east India.
According to some accounts, he lived under cover in China, Myanmar and Pakistan. When he feared identification as a Hindu due to his pierced ears, he had surgery to maintain his disguise, or so the story goes."
We may in fact write a separate piece on Amit Shah - his politics and his handling of the Home portfolio.
But the transition story of this main is also unprecdented.
In 2012 a national newsmagazine ran a cover story on him under the title “Why is this man still free?”
This was in reference to a controversial case in Gujarat. But today he is undoubtedly the second most powerful man in India. About his bond with PM Modi - the usual joke in the corridors of power is --- "it is rare for a Neta to trust another beyond a point.... But in the case of Modi-Amit Shah duo -- it is said they are the real 'yeh dosti hum nahi todenge' type.
My senior colleague R C Rajamani once said - "Perhaps Modi trusts Amit Shah more than himself and vice versa".
We may also say in 2025, Amit Shah is 'reaping' the rewards of what he had sown. Certainly, Shah has come up the ladder through hard work and great efficiency.
In electoral management - none can beat him.
And under J P Nadda -- it is Shah who runs not only the Home Ministry; he also runs the party.
BBC has called him 'a feared strategist'. And lately more often he replies on behalf of the Prime Minister in Parliament.
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We need to talk about Nripendra Mishra. In 2014 - he was made the Principal Secretary to the PM -- the most powerful bureaucrat in the Govt.
A 1967 batch retired IAS from UP cadre, Nripendra Misra has been the 'key man' to the construction of Ram Temple.
He is of course the chairman of high-powered temple committee. But signficantly enough, Mishra had advised the then chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav against tough measures (and opening fire) in dealing with kar sevaks at the disputed Ayodhya site in 1990.
He was then principal secretary to Uttar Pradesh chief minister.
After Arun Jaitley's death Modi wrote on Twitter --
Jaitley “was a political giant, towering intellectual and legal luminary. He was an articulate leader who made a lasting contribution to India".
Arun Jaitley was the only Minister between 2014 and 2019 who could speak on all matters.
Jaitley was Modi's 'eyes and ears in Delhi' when he was Gujarat's chief minister.
Jaitley will be also remembered for carrying out some of Modi’s more controversial economic initiatives, including changes to tax (GST) and overnight demonetisation – which took 86% of cash out of circulation.
In February 2024, as FM, Jaitley announced a budget with a string of populist giveaways,
ends
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