Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh appears to be number two in the union cabinet after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, having been given the responsibility to deal with any urgent matter that may arise in the latter's absence.

 

 

 Informed sources said here that an order by the cabinet secretariat states that Modi had directed that during the period of his absence – on his US visit from Sep 25 to Oct 1 – urgent business may be put up before the home minister for disposal.

 

 Rajnath Singh's name also appears just below Modi's in the list of union council of ministers on the website of the prime minister's office.