At its start, this novel is a roman-à-clef. The prime minister is simply called “The Big Man”. You’re never told his name. But when he speaks “the language and symbols of democracy (are) subsumed by references made by the ruler to the ruler, speaking of himself in the third person”.

The Big Man is fond of inaugurations, so “ministries focus on delivering the finest possible event or ceremony The Big Man could preside over”. And “the political opposition… (is) set upon as if it were an internal enemy. The state and its agencies (are) unleashed on them with such regularity that staying out of jail and surviving through the ‘raids’ (keeps) them more occupied than actual politics.”

Now I don’t want to reveal the story except to say it’s imaginative and riveting with a delightful surprise at the climax. Instead, I’ll tell you about the powerful political, actually moral, debates that are the foundation of Patel’s narrative.

The Big Man dies very early in the book and is succeeded by Mira, who works for an NGO Lawyer’s Collective. She’s a single unwed mother and her daughter is in jail. She despises the sort of politics The Big Man and his party symbolise.

Reluctant to become prime minister, once she accepts she wants to use the enormous power of the office to repeal the draconian legislation of the past. It’s her way of restoring dignity to the poor whilst making the government responsible and accountable.

The problem is to do this she has to use the untrammelled powers of her office in ways she finds objectionable and immoral. This raises the question: To achieve the right result is it acceptable to use the wrong means?

Her key advisor, simply called the House Manager, believes it is. “Sacrificing some of your principles and values and standards for the sake of achieving something meaningful, this is something that should be admired and respected.” But the poor people who could benefit disagree.

When Mira consults them, an old woman expresses the often ignored but always triumphant wisdom of the ages: “There is only one right thing to do, and that is the right thing.” Thus, as Patel’s book approaches its climax, it develops into a powerful story about the character of Indian politics and the struggle between strategy and tactics on the one hand and principles and morality on the other.

This part is not just riveting but revealing, as the enormous power of the Prime Minister’s Office is unleashed, without concern for scruples but with the focus singularly on achieving what she wants. Mira’s own doubts are suppressed. She allows the House Manager to persuade her this is the only way to deliver the desired result. And so the end triumphs over the means, but the debate remains unresolved. It continues to niggle her conscience.

The truth is this happens often in real life. Patel’s Big Man may be unaffected but politicians are frequently troubled, even, occasionally torn apart by it. Not just in India but in most democracies.

This is why the essence of politics is far more than just the political. Because it’s about decisions and choices, it’s ultimately about issues that are more than ideological. They’re moral too. Patel clearly understands that.

Karan Thapar is the author of Devil’s Advocate: The Untold Story. The views expressed are personal