Min Mahamat

In his response, which the newspaper carried, Modi said even though he is the prime minister he is not to take advice which the top bureaucrats give him personally and should rely on experts at the state, central and local levels, rather than making orders given by the prime minister himself.

“The chief ministers will have to make any decisions on the basis of the advice they receive from the bureaucrats. But, I do not intend to take his personal judgment even while I am the PM. I will rely and act on consensus among the state leaders”, Modi said.

A senior BJP leader said, “This PMO has failed to put in place proper governance mechanisms. It is only being carried out through the advisory committee of ministers in the BJP’s government. The party believes it should be run by a more disciplined central-state coalition.” He said the BJP has also set up a committee of BJP MPs and MLAs to make a comprehensive report on the shortcomings in the BJP-led NDA government’s agenda.

BJP sources said the PMO has asked all ministries in the ministry of external affairs to take the recommendations of the expert committee prepared by the PMO so that the national security adviser can convene the two-plus-two dialogue.

Maj Gen M F Abdul Kalam, who is in charge of the defence ministry and defence minister, earlier held a two-hour meeting of various ministries and advisory committees on the NDA’s first month and a half and said that the consensus which emerged out of the meeting is so striking, it will require a separate presentation to the national security advisor.

He also said PMO has given recommendations through an advisory panel created with the PMO on national security, defence, economic and other foreign policy issues for the next review and implementation phase of the government. The list includes recommendations on the need to improve the country’s public spending to better meet the challenges of an ageing population and a changing global economic landscape.