PM Modi becomes India's longest-serving elected PM; surpasses Jawaharlal Nehru

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday became Indias longestserving elected Prime Minister surpassing the record previously held by Indias first Prime Minister Jawaharlal NehruWith 4399 days in office as an elected Prime Minister PM Modi overtook Nehrus tenure calculated from 1952 onwards when the countrys first general elections were held and a democratically elected government took chargeModi surpasses Nehrus postelection tenureThe comparison excludes Nehrus 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 countrys historyThe milestone comes nearly 12 years after Modi first assumed office in May 2014 Since then he has led the Bharatiya Janata Party BJPled National Democratic Alliance NDA to consecutive victories in the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections securing a third successive term as Prime MinisterContinuous tenure sets Modi apartAlthough 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 IndiaPolitical observers note that Modis 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 reformsMajor infrastructure projects during Modi eraOver the past decade the Union government has undertaken several largescale 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 ExpresswayMany of these projects have been presented by the government as part of its broader vision to modernise infrastructure and improve connectivity across the countryNDA to mark milestone at national meetingTo 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 NDAruled states and Union Territories along with representatives of alliance partnersThe meeting will be held at Bharat Mandapam and is expected to review the governments achievements over the past 12 years while outlining future prioritiesFocus on governance and future political strategyAccording to sources the alliance is likely to adopt a resolution congratulating Prime Minister Modi on surpassing Nehrus record as the countrys longestserving elected Prime MinisterSenior Union ministers including Rajnath Singh Amit Shah JP Nadda and Shivraj Singh Chouhan are expected to attend the eventApart 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 yearsWith inputs from IANS