Soon after take over as the Prime Minister he affected drastic change in character though not in structure of Parliamentary democracy India adopted in 1950. For the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru all members of the Council of Ministers were equal. The Prime Minister was first among equals. He allowed full freedom to them all. 13 Prime Ministers who followed him also upheld the practice but NaMo changed by dwarfing political stature of his colleagues. None of his ministers dare to open their mind even today publicly in spite of their intense feelings.

The Prime Minister had a meeting with 49 bureaucrats before attending the introductory first meeting of his council. He indicated to bureaucrats not to bow to unreasonable political demands and come to him if pressure increased. In other words he indicated he would rather depend on bureaucracy than the political wing of his regime. In seven years no minister has said a word in public. Only the home minister Amit Shah spoke of proposed fresh registration of citizens and difficult condition of producing evidence of birth of grandparents in India. The minorities’ consternation was reflected in their protests and the Prime Minister publicly rebuked the home minister by denying any proposal under consideration. Not only the home minister tied his tongue for eleven months but others also preferred silence.

The experience of dealing with the state affairs in Gujarat for 12 years may have taught him that the spread of education has released ambitions of young Indians from the confines of religious pot to make them eager to improve their life though better economics. The religion was no more binding them to be driven like sheep herds. He revealed his new ideas only after his name was endorsed to lead the party in the 2014 election. He insisted and got the economy the focal place in the BJP agenda. The Sangh had no alternative but to allow him in his way seeking the mandate for formation of the Modi government and not for the party. He did not even share his platform with anyone of the party in the campaign.

The Sangh chief revealed his hand soon after the formation of the government by raising the road barriers to break his rush to entice foreign capital and production mechanisms to deliver on his electoral promise of rapid economic growth and employment to most. For first fifteen months he spoke like a new leader full of innovative ideas to inspire young generation.

His silence to attempts to bring him back to the old fold and implement programmes to generate the religious fervor incited the Sangh Parivar to teach him a lesson by his defeat in the Bihar assembly polls and compelling him to give up his efforts to improve relations with Pakistan. He may have been conveyed that he did not have the majority support if he continued to move ahead. His sudden silence on the economic development as well as his harsh economic measures resulting in loss of jobs, mostly to the middle classes due to closure of cottage and small scale units indicate his unease and his attempted strike back. But he had not resigned from his Gandhian Path. Nor did he shift away from his path to follow dictates and desires of the Sangh chief. He had changed the system of governance to be one man rule democracy without access to anyone including his party men to directly reach him Can his successor ignore opposition within the party or outside like he has for seven years?

His bending on the spot on the railway station in South Africa here Mahatma Gandhi had fallen after he was evicted from the train virtually 110 year ago and paying the homage was his act of utmost defiance of the Sangh philosophy. Can his successor have the similar courage?

He virtually faced the rural wrath of men on street for the first time as small and marginal grain growing farmers in north India took a war path to oppose his three legislations. They came to Delhi border to squat and protest. They were defiant of not only the civic laws but also of the lock down regime prevailing since March 2020. The home minister Amit Shah saw the opportunity to display his skills to tackle the determined disobedience and protest. He rushed to persuade farmers but came back with swollen ego and empty hands. Farmers also could see that he was not named by the Prime Minister to negotiate of his behalf nor he was a part of the ministerial team to talk to agitating farmers. It can be understood only if his move is considered in the context of after NaMo who? His name was prominent in lobby discussions in the party but till the Prime Minister did not run him down with a public rebuke. His rush suggests the idea of fresh registration of citizens may have originated in the Nagpur establishment or Shah may have conceived it to be closer to his seeking the approval.

Many believe Nitin Gadkari to be more favourite choice as the Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat and Gadkari hail from same town and have known each other for long time. Gadkari was the party chief also because of preference of the Sangh chief. However the major road blockage, to such machinations or building castles in the air, is the Prime Minister and his game plan. His second term ends only in May 2024 and there are no indications of his early retirement or seeking midterm elections.

In any case he has already indicated his preference .In seven years he has not shared his political platform with any BJP chief minister. In 2017 he proved in the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls he can and he does mesmerize voters to vote for whom he campaigns. While the party leaders had given up hopes of winning second position in the state assembly he had delivered 325 of 403 seats. He displayed his prowess again in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

After delivering the power in different states, he was treated as a party man of no consequence when chief ministers were decided. For Uttar Pradesh his choice was Manoj Sinha his minister of state. Sinha was told before closing of the gates of the venue for the legislature party meeting for electing new leader that Yogi was the chosen candidate. Since Sinha was not the new legislator and he could not attend the meeting, he left for his home town. NaMo did not campaign jointly with Yogi in anyone of state assembly polls in the same year. Many a politician then talked of Yogi as possible replacement for NaMO. They could not have been unaware of his roots in politics. He did win a single seat in the state assembly of 12 constituencies that had by elections in three months after the 2014 Lok Sabha polls that gave 73 of 80 seats in the state to NaMo. Yogi could not retain the Gorakhpur seat in the Lok Sabha that he had vacated on becoming the chief minister in 2017. He had no role in the state assembly polls in 2017 that yielded unprecedented results for the party. Yet he was considered to be possible alternative to NaMo only because he was considered to be favourite choice of the Sangh. NaMo refused to share hi platform I he Gujarat assembly polls in 2017, the only of six states where the party managed to retain power in its hand though with precarious strength.

However, NaMo had the Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on his political platform in all six election rallies in Bihar in last November and had taken deliberate care to introduce him a friend. TH Sangh would not approve of the choice but has no escape. Without NaMo, the party cannot win power and NaMo will insist for his pound of flesh in return for his services.