"Dr Manmohan Singh is a clean, decent, competent leader! For God’ssake give him a chance!" How often have we heard this? But his government doesnot deliver. It cannot deliver. Not the world’s best leader can deliver unlesssupported by an adequate political instrument. The tattered coalitiongovernments pulling in different directions that have governed India for decadeswould frustrate performance of any leader. What India needs above all is apolitical instrument. It did have a political instrument once upon a time. Ithas none today. What went wrong?