Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday became India`s longest-serving elected Prime Minister, surpassing the record previously held by India`s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.
With 4,399 days in office as an elected Prime Minister, PM Modi overtook Nehru`s tenure calculated from 1952 onwards, when the country`s first general elections were held and a democratically elected government took charge.
Modi surpasses Nehru`s post-election tenure
The comparison excludes Nehru`s period as head of the interim government between 1947 and 1952, before India conducted its first general elections. Based on tenure as an elected Prime Minister, PM Modi has now served longer than any other leader in the country`s history.
The milestone comes nearly 12 years after Modi first assumed office in May 2014. Since then, he has led the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to consecutive victories in the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections, securing a third successive term as Prime Minister.
Continuous tenure sets Modi apart
Although former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi spent more than 14 years in office overall, her tenure was interrupted, making Modi the longest continuously serving elected Prime Minister in India.
Political observers note that Modi`s leadership period has been marked by electoral successes at the national level, as well as a focus on infrastructure development, digital governance, welfare schemes, and economic reforms.
Major infrastructure projects during Modi era
Over the past decade, the Union government has undertaken several large-scale infrastructure and development projects. These include the new Parliament building, the Central Vista redevelopment project, Kartavya Path, the expansion of the Vande Bharat train network, the Statue of Unity, the commissioning of INS Vikrant, the Kashmir rail link project, Noida International Airport, the Namo Bharat Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), and the Ganga Expressway.
Many of these projects have been presented by the government as part of its broader vision to modernise infrastructure and improve connectivity across the country.
NDA to mark milestone at national meeting
To commemorate the occasion, the NDA is scheduled to hold a meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday. The gathering is expected to bring together Prime Minister Modi, senior BJP leaders, chief ministers and deputy chief ministers from NDA-ruled states and Union Territories, along with representatives of alliance partners.
The meeting will be held at Bharat Mandapam and is expected to review the government`s achievements over the past 12 years while outlining future priorities.
Focus on governance and future political strategy
According to sources, the alliance is likely to adopt a resolution congratulating Prime Minister Modi on surpassing Nehru`s record as the country`s longest-serving elected Prime Minister.
Senior Union ministers, including Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, J.P. Nadda and Shivraj Singh Chouhan, are expected to attend the event.
Apart from marking the historic milestone, discussions are likely to focus on governance initiatives, development programmes, policy priorities and preparations for upcoming electoral contests. The meeting is also expected to serve as a platform for the NDA leadership to outline its political and governance agenda for the coming years.
(With inputs from IANS)
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