Read this discussion and say which of these statements applies most to India. Alok: Prime Minister is like a king, he decides everything in our country. Shekhar: Prime Minister is only 'first among equals', he does not have any special powers. All ministers and the PM have similar powers. Bobby: Prime Minister has to consider the expectations of the party members and other supporters of the government. But after all, the Prime Minister has a greater say in policy making and in choosing the ministers.
Bobby's statement applies most to India. The Prime Minister has a greater say in policy making and choosing the ministers, but also has to consider the expectations of party members and other supporters of the government.
The Prime Minister is involved in all crucial decisions of the government and decides on the policies. The PM controls the Council of Ministers, leads the Lok Sabha, commands the bureaucratic machine, and projects themselves as a national leader during international summits and foreign visits. This makes the PM the most important functionary of the government.
However, in coalition politics, there are restrictions on the PM's prerogatives. The PM cannot alone choose ministers or decide policies. Policies are framed after negotiations and compromises among allies. In such situations, the PM has to act more as a negotiator than as a leader of the government.
Explanation
The textbook context clearly supports Bobby's balanced view. Alok's statement is incorrect because the PM is not absolute like a king - there are constitutional and political constraints. Shekhar's statement is also incorrect because the PM does have special powers and a greater say than other ministers. Bobby correctly captures both aspects: the PM's dominant role in policy making and minister selection, while acknowledging the need to accommodate party members and coalition partners. The context explicitly mentions that the PM has 'greater say in policy making and in choosing the ministers' and must 'consider the expectations of the party members and other supporters.'
Solution Steps
Step 1: Analyze each statement against the textbook context about PM's powers and limitations.
Step 2: Identify that Alok's statement exaggerates PM's powers (PM is not like a king).
Step 3: Identify that Shekhar's statement understates PM's powers (PM does have special powers).
Step 4: Confirm Bobby's statement matches the context - PM has greater say but must consider party expectations and coalition constraints.