New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday completed 25 years as head of government, marking a political journey that began with his appointment as Gujarat Chief Minister on October 7, 2001.
Modi began the day by offering prayers at the Shri Vinayak Mandir in Sarojini Nagar, New Delhi. He later renewed his commitment to serving the country with dedication.
“Today, I performed worship and rituals at the Shri Vinayak Temple in New Delhi. I prayed to Lord Ganesha for the happiness, prosperity, and good health of my family members across the country,” Modi said.
He also prayed for the welfare of the country and continued progress.
When Did Narendra Modi Become Gujarat Chief Minister?
Modi took oath as Gujarat Chief Minister on October 7, 2001, beginning his uninterrupted tenure as head of a government.
He subsequently led the BJP to three consecutive Assembly victories in Gujarat before moving to national politics.
In 2014, Modi led the BJP to a majority in the Lok Sabha elections and became Prime Minister. The BJP-led government returned to power in 2019 and again in 2024, giving Modi three consecutive terms as Prime Minister.
How Is The BJP Marking Modi’s 25 Years?
The BJP has organised a month-long campaign to mark Modi’s 25 years in public life.
Party workers have travelled from Vadnagar in Gujarat, Modi’s hometown, to Varanasi, his parliamentary constituency, as part of programmes highlighting the policies and initiatives of his governments.
The campaign is culminating on Wednesday.
The Union Cabinet had also passed a resolution on Tuesday congratulating Modi on completing 25 years of continuous leadership. The resolution highlighted his tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister and Prime Minister and listed areas including governance, welfare delivery, economic reforms, national security and foreign policy.
What Did The Union Cabinet Say About Modi’s Leadership?
The Cabinet resolution described October 7, 2001, to October 7, 2026, as a period of uninterrupted leadership at the state and national levels.
It highlighted the transition of initiatives associated with Modi’s Gujarat tenure to national programmes and pointed to developments in welfare delivery, infrastructure, technology, defence and diplomacy.
The resolution also cited major events and policy decisions during his tenure, including the Covid-19 response, Chandrayaan-3, the G20 presidency and reforms such as GST.
Why Is Modi’s 25-Year Milestone Coming Amid A Political Row?
The milestone comes amid a continuing political confrontation over the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The Opposition has raised concerns over the deletion of names from electoral rolls and has demanded action against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The Election Commission has maintained that the revision process is intended to identify and remove names relating to categories such as deceased, duplicate and otherwise ineligible voters.
The issue has also reached the Supreme Court, while political parties continue to debate the process and its implications.
What Happened During The Latest SIR Protest?
On Tuesday, several INDIA bloc leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, were detained in Delhi during a protest linked to the SIR issue and their demand for the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
The leaders had staged a sit-in at Akashvani Bhavan after being stopped during their planned march towards the Election Commission.
Delhi Police subsequently registered an FIR over the alleged unauthorised entry into the Akashvani Bhavan premises.
The political confrontation over the electoral-roll revision therefore continues alongside Modi’s 25-year milestone.
What Is Modi’s Next Political Phase?
Modi’s completion of 25 years as head of government marks the longest continuous period he has spent leading a government, beginning with Gujarat and extending through three terms as Prime Minister.
His latest milestone is being marked by the BJP through nationwide programmes, while the government and Opposition remain engaged in political disputes over electoral rolls, governance and the functioning of constitutional institutions.
