FEATURE, INDIA

LIST OF THE MOST POWERFUL PEOPLE IN INDIA – PM NARENDRA MODI TOPS THE LIST WHILE YOGI ADITYANATH ENTERS THE LIST OF TOP 10 POSITIONS

The list of top 50 most powerful Indians published by the Indian Express Groups claims that the first three positions of 2016 has been retained by the earlier toppers — Prime Minister Narendra Modi at No. 1, BJP president Amit Shah on No. 2 and RSS sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat on the third position — but with a difference. Take a look at The Indian Express power list of 2016-17 not just to see who are the most powerful 100 in this country of a billion plus. Look at it, also, to get a sense of how, over the past year, power has changed hands — and how power itself has changed.

Rajesh Ghadge

Published: 29, Mar 2017

RANK 8 – Yogi Adityanath, 44

Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh | (Rank 2016: New entry)

THE REASON

For being chief minister of India’s most populous state, where the BJP and its allies have come to power with a thumping mandate, winning 325 of 403 seats in the assembly elections. A key Hindutva face of the BJP, he surprised nearly everyone by becoming the party’s choice to lead the state government.

THE WORK

When he pipped about half-a-dozen aspirants to the post of CM. Long seen as the fringe in the state BJP, he now represents the ‘mainstream’.

THE FUTURE

He faces the daunting task of balancing the demands of his office with those of his restive and aggressive supporters. How he does that will decide how effectively the BJP reaps its electoral harvest in UP. The crackdown on meat and the anti-Romeo squads have dominated headlines but the Yogi story is yet to unfold.

NOTE: He is fond of watches. Wears a Rado on his left wrist.

COMING UP THE NEXT ON RANK 9 SONIA GANDHI