At a book launch function in Delhi I had once remarked that in the Mahabharata, among the hundred Kaurava brothers most of us remember only two names: Duryodhana and Dushasana. The rest did not matter. My hint was clearly understood by the audience, which responded with a huge applause.

Modi is the kind of man who wants to do everything himself and who is obsessed with creating history every day. If he can become the first Indian prime minister to visit Timbuktu he would do so whether it is necessary and impactful or not. There is one thing he has done which no prime minister has done before – he has taken most of the existing government programmes and renamed them, so that the credit and glory accumulate to him.

Modi has centralized all decision-making powers in the Government of India in himself, assisted by a few chosen officers in . . .