7/17:New Delhi:17/ Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s bureaucrats are often powerful than Modi’s ministers. But at present who is the most powerful bureaucrat in the PMO? Is it the omnipotent National Security Advisor Ajit Doval or PM’s Principal Secretary Nripendra Misra? Or is there a third contender in the power list—the Gujarat cadre former IAS Dr PK Mishra, the Additional Principal Secretary to PM.
Sources said that RSS ideology and a pro-active approach against terror has made Doval a favourite of Narendra Modi but the real power of governance is vested in Dr PK Mishra. A close aide of Modi, Dr PK Mishra is considered his most trusted bureaucrat. Till 2004, PK was CM Modi’s Principal Secretary. After his retirement in 2008, PK was offered important government job in Gujarat and finally brought to PMO to assist Modi in all crucial and confidential decisions.
Top sources said that all important files and key postings in the union government are undertaken by Dr PK Mishra. In fact, in matters related to the powerful Cabinet Committee on appointments, PK is more decisive than Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Cabinet Secretary. Known for his integrity, PK has tried to end the transfer posting industry particularly in the appointment of Chairman and Managing Directors of Public Sector Undertakings.