Incredible: Why is Shivraj Still the Home Minister?

The fundamental rule of politics anywhere is a politician should always worry about getting to, or keeping existing, power. Else he or she does not make a good politician. Because there is no other incentive for people in politics. Surely the pay scale is minuscule. (In India, there are other reasons for some, like enriching themselves using socialist bureaucratic rules - but that still comes from being in power.) It's hard work to campaign and election competition for powerful positions is intensive and expensive.

So the question is why does an utterly incompetent, incomprehensible, and useless Shivraj Patil continues to be power. That too in charge of the security of the nation - for more than four years despite repeated failure. Surely Congress I and maharani Sonia (and yuvaraj and yuvarani) want to remain in power as long as possible. So what explains the lack of apparent and logical choice of Congress I sending Shivraj away - either asking him to resign or firing him. Shivraj, based on his demeanor, will not resign. He is just that type of a person. He cares more about a bit of dirt on his shirt then his job as Home Minister.

One could understand why he got the job despite not winning his seat during the last election. Maharani was obviously rewarding him for his loyalty to the latest Indian royal family. But the reward for loyalty to power usually doesn't undermine the power itself. He could have been gently pushed aside after two or three years at the ministry. Why is he still the home minister after four years of non-performance?

After the latest gory Islamic death cult terror in Mumbai, the prime minister doesn't invite the home minister of the country to an extremely important high level national security meeting. But the prime minister does not fire Shivraj. Surely maharani Sonia would do that. But why doesn't she? What is going on here?

The only explanation that I can think of is, Shivraj has some powerful hold on the royal family. He knows a secret of, probably, maharani Sonia that she doesn't want revealed. So he gets his way despite his high profile and repeated failure. Nothing else explains the incredible insanity of what is going on with Shivraj Patil.