PM Modi most powerful Indian, RSS chief Mohan Bhagat holds second spot, says survey

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra is India's most powerful person while RSS chief Mohan Bhagat is the second most powerful person, according to the 2016 Indian Express Power List, which ranks the 100 most powerful Indians.

Despite a slew of controversies around PM Modi, his popularity still remains unchallenged, the Indian Express list said.

“…Despite the storm around him — the intolerance debate, the defeat in Bihar, the Rohith Vemula suicide, the JNU crisis — he remains the unchallenged No 1.

Under Modi, the PMO has become the epicentre of all important, and some not-so-important, decisions, with the ministries often being bypassed,” the list said.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat holds the second spot, indicating the huge influence his organization exerts on the present government.

“While Narendra Modi is seen to have complete Sangh backing, Bhagwat has ensured that the RSS maintains its distinct and larger identity as a flagbearer of Hindu pride,” the survey said.

While BJP chief Amit Shah held the third spot, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Congress President Sonia Gandhi occupied the fourth and fifth spots.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi held the ninth spot.

In 2015, the Congress vice president was seen to be much more active than previous years, leading agitations and protest marches and launching attacks against the government, the paper noted.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal held the 8th spot and PDP chairperson Mehbooba Mufti has also made it to the list.

Others who made it to the include Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Virat Kohli, Saina Nehwal, Sania Mirza, Salman Khan, Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra among others.