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Vajpayee Laid the Blueprint: Modi Builds on Good Governance Legacy

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  Published in Politics and Government on Thursday, December 25th 2025 at 9:13 GMT by moneycontrol.com

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Vajpayee laid foundation for good governance – PM Modi fulfilling his vision – Nitin Nabin

Moneycontrol, 25 December 2025

India’s contemporary political landscape has long been shaped by two towering leaders: former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and the current head of government, Narendra Modi. In a recent Moneycontrol feature, veteran commentator Nitin Nabin reflects on how Vajpayee’s legacy of good governance has been taken up and expanded by Modi’s administration. While the article is framed around the past, it also charts a roadmap for the future, underscoring the continuity and the divergence between the two administrations.

1. Vajpayee: The architect of institutional discipline

Nitin Nabin opens by summarizing the key pillars of Vajpayee’s governance philosophy, drawing heavily on Vajpayee’s own speeches (see the article’s embedded link to “Vajpayee’s 1999 Pokhran speech”). These pillars were:

1. Economic liberalisation and prudence – Vajpayee’s tenure (1998‑2004) saw the consolidation of the liberalisation process begun in the 1990s, the implementation of the 1999 “Nuclear Test” policy that re‑asserted India’s strategic deterrence, and the 2001 “Liberalisation, Privatisation, and Globalisation” (LPG) mantra that further opened the economy to foreign investment.
2. Institutional integrity – He created the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and strengthened the Audit & Accounts system. His commitment to “clean hands” was illustrated in the “No‑Budget” years where the administration ran on a very tight fiscal plan.
3. Public‑sector transparency – The 1998 “Right to Information” (RTI) guidelines were given the push they needed. Vajpayee’s government also launched e‑Governance pilot projects that later became the backbone of India’s digital infrastructure.
4. Coalition‑friendly politics – While Vajpayee himself was a BJP stalwart, his 1998‑2004 coalition with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) demonstrated his skill at building consensus across party lines, a point that Nitin repeatedly cites when praising Modi’s “coalition‑building” efforts.

The Moneycontrol article uses a hyperlink to “Vajpayee’s speeches – 1999: ‘India’s future lies in good governance’” which underscores his belief that governance was the real engine of development, not just headline politics.

2. Modi: Expanding the vision into the 21st‑century

Nitin transitions to Modi’s tenure, highlighting how the current Prime Minister has taken the principles laid down by Vajpayee and amplified them through a series of high‑impact flagship programmes:

• Digital India and e‑Governance – Building on the e‑Governance pilots of the 1990s, Modi’s government has launched Aadhaar, the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), and the Digital Locker. The Moneycontrol piece links to “How Digital India is transforming governance” to illustrate how the digital ecosystem is now a core pillar of administration.
• Goods and Services Tax (GST) – The introduction of GST (2017) is presented as the most significant tax reform since the 1990s, unifying the country’s fragmented tax structure and fostering a single market.
• Swachh Bharat and rural electrification – Nitin points out that these programmes are a direct extension of Vajpayee’s focus on infrastructure, but now with a strong social‑development dimension.
• Financial inclusion – Jan Dhan Yojana (2014) and Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima (2019) have created a safety net for millions of rural households, echoing Vajpayee’s commitment to the “bottom‑up” growth model.
• Make in India and Defence – The article underscores how Modi’s focus on manufacturing, coupled with strategic procurement of defence technology, keeps India competitive – an echo of Vajpayee’s 1999 nuclear strategy.

In a side note, Nitin mentions that some critics argue Modi’s governance style leans more heavily on top‑down decision‑making. He counters that the current administration’s “data‑driven” approach—drawing from the “Open Government Data Platform” (link embedded) – offers a counter‑balance, ensuring decisions are evidence‑based and transparent.

3. Continuity and divergence: A comparative lens

A key contribution of the Moneycontrol article is its balanced comparative analysis. Nitin summarises:

• Continuity
  Both leaders prioritized “institutional integrity.”
  Both embraced “economic liberalisation” but in slightly different contexts: Vajpayee laid the groundwork; Modi consolidated it with globalisation and digitalisation.
  Both fostered “coalition‑friendly politics.”*

• Divergence
  Vajpayee’s tenure was largely characterised by “political moderation” and a “two‑party system” that allowed him to build consensus.
  Modi’s rule is marked by “centralised decision‑making” but also a robust “digital audit trail.”
  Vajpayee relied on “speech‑driven” legitimacy; Modi leans heavily on “policy‑driven”* narratives amplified through social media and digital platforms.

Nitin stresses that the ultimate measure of good governance is not how a leader presents himself but how policies translate into “human development outcomes.” He cites data from the World Bank and the Indian Human Development Index, linking back to a “2025 India Governance Index” embedded in the article.

4. The future of good governance

In the concluding section, the piece looks ahead to the 2024 general elections and the upcoming “Governance Blueprint 2026.” Nitin argues that the next decade will be a test for Modi’s promise to “carry forward Vajpayee’s vision” in an era of rapid technological change. The Moneycontrol article encourages policymakers to:

1. Strengthen data‑driven decision‑making – By leveraging AI and machine learning to forecast public‑service demand.
2. Promote inter‑governmental accountability – Building on the “Right to Information” act, the article proposes a “Digital Transparency Dashboard” linking citizen feedback to government actions.
3. Encourage public‑private partnerships – In the same vein as the “Public‑Private Partnership Act” of 2013, to fund infrastructure and digital initiatives.

The article concludes that good governance is not a destination but a continuous journey, and that both Vajpayee and Modi have set up a sustainable trajectory that the new generation of leaders must follow.

5. Quick links for deeper exploration

• Vajpayee’s speeches – “India’s future lies in good governance” (link in article).
• Digital India – “How Digital India is transforming governance”.
• Open Government Data Platform – “Data for all”.
• 2025 India Governance Index – “Government transparency and accountability”.

Word count: 1,058 words

The Moneycontrol article, “Vajpayee laid foundation for good governance, PM Modi fulfilling his vision – Nitin Nabin,” offers a comprehensive look at the enduring legacy of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and how Narendra Modi’s administration has carried forward that legacy. By weaving together historical context, contemporary policy analysis, and forward‑looking recommendations, the piece paints a nuanced picture of India’s evolving governance landscape.