New Delhi, Jun 10:
In a moment laden with political symbolism and historical significance, the union Cabinet on Wednesday passed a resolution applauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi for becoming India’s longest-serving elected Prime Minister in consecutive terms, surpassing the record held by independent India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.
The Cabinet’s tribute was accompanied by a standing ovation for Modi, underscoring what the government described as a landmark achievement in the country’s democratic journey.
Photographs released by the Prime Minister’s Office showed ministers rising to their feet and applauding Modi during the Cabinet meeting, a gesture that reflected both the political significance of the milestone and the dominant position he has come to occupy in India’s contemporary political landscape.
The Cabinet resolution hailed Modi’s tenure as a period of transformative governance, economic reforms, welfare expansion and growing international influence for India. Ministers noted that the achievement was particularly noteworthy in a democratic system marked by intense electoral competition and changing political currents, where sustaining public support over multiple consecutive terms has historically proven difficult.
The milestone marks another chapter in the remarkable political rise of Modi, who first assumed office on May 26, 2014, after leading the Bharatiya Janata Party to a sweeping Lok Sabha victory. He subsequently secured even larger mandates in 2019 and returned to office for a third consecutive term in 2024, becoming only the second Prime Minister after Nehru to win three successive general elections as the leader of a governing party.
By overtaking Nehru’s record for the longest continuous tenure by an elected Prime Minister, Modi has achieved a distinction that carries particular historical resonance. Nehru, who led India from Independence in 1947 until his death in 1964, is widely regarded as the principal architect of modern India’s democratic institutions, parliamentary traditions and developmental state. His nearly 17-year tenure shaped the foundations of the republic and established many of the political and institutional norms that continue to influence India today.
The comparison between Modi and Nehru has long occupied a central place in India’s political discourse. While the Congress frequently invokes Nehru’s role in nation-building, the BJP has projected Modi as the leader of a new India marked by assertive nationalism, welfare-driven governance, infrastructure expansion and a stronger global profile. The milestone has therefore acquired significance beyond statistics, becoming a symbolic marker in the continuing contest over political legacy and historical narrative.
Over the past decade, Modi has presided over several major policy initiatives, including the rollout of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), the expansion of direct benefit transfer schemes, large-scale infrastructure projects, the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act, and an ambitious push towards digital governance. His government has also sought to position India as a leading voice of the Global South and a key player in an increasingly multipolar world order.
Supporters view the longevity of his tenure as evidence of sustained public confidence in his leadership and governance model. They argue that Modi has redefined national politics by expanding the BJP’s social and geographical reach while maintaining a level of personal popularity rarely seen in Indian politics.
Critics, however, contend that the concentration of political power under Modi has coincided with growing concerns over institutional autonomy, federal relations and democratic dissent. Opposition parties have frequently accused the government of centralising authority and weakening democratic checks and balances, allegations consistently rejected by the BJP.
The Cabinet’s resolution comes at a time when Modi’s political journey is once again under intense national scrutiny. Having secured a third consecutive term, he now occupies a unique place in India’s political history, bridging the era of coalition politics that dominated much of the post-Nehru period and the emergence of a new phase characterised by the dominance of a single national leader.
For the BJP, the occasion provided an opportunity to celebrate a milestone that few political observers would have predicted when Modi first emerged on the national stage as Chief Minister of Gujarat. For his supporters, it is a testament to enduring electoral appeal and political resilience. For his critics, it serves as a reminder of the scale of the challenge facing an opposition still searching for a cohesive response to his dominance.
Either way, the standing ovation in the Cabinet room on Wednesday reflected a broader political reality: more than a decade after first taking office, Narendra Modi has not only reshaped India’s political landscape but has now entered a realm of history previously occupied by only a handful of the country’s most consequential leaders.
