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25 years of Modi: The making of a political force
On October 7, he will complete 25 years in public service – of which he’s spent 4,495 days as India’s longest continuously-serving elected prime minister
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Eight months after a devastating earthquake reduced large parts of Kutch in Gujarat to rubble on January 26, 2001, Narendra Modi received a call from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership that would change the direction of his life and the political trajectory of India.
Then a 51-year-old national general secretary (organisation) of the party, Modi was involved in the relief and rehabilitation work in the aftermath of the tragedy that killed nearly 20,000 people.
Weeks later on October 7, dressed in his trademark short-sleeve kurta, Modi was sworn in by governor Surendra Singh Bhandari as the 14th chief minister of Gujarat, replacing his party colleague and mentor-turned-bete noire Keshubhai Patel. The date marked the beginning of a political career that catapulted him to the very top of Indian politics. On October 7, he will complete 25 years in public service – of which he’s spent 4,495 days as India’s longest continuously-serving elected prime minister.
Modi the administrator
The man from Gujarat had earned an early reputation in the party for his organisational skills, his deftness in taking over new roles, and adaptability. But the new position as CM came with challenges that were both unfamiliar and daunting. The earthquake triggered a groundswell of not just grief but anger over poor administration. The state was battling drought for many years, and while people scrambled for water and basic amenities, the ruling dispensation was seen as ineffective and incohesive.
Modi had his work cut out. The priority however, was rebuilding the quake-ruptured towns and villages.
“The very first meeting that he chaired after assuming office laid down what was to become his style…setting deadlines, fixing accountability and taking decisions that are not easy and even politically expedient,” said a senior leader of the Rashtriya Swayamsevask Sangh (RSS), the ideological fount of the BJP. The leader has seen the PM work in various capacities, including as a full-time RSS worker.
The first year in the CM’s office set the template for the remaining 11 and many practices such as the 100-day timelines for getting big-ticket projects off the ground were later replicated at the Centre, when Modi led the BJP to a spectacular win in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
“He is candid about his early days and how with almost no administrative experience, he took over the reins of a crisis-ridden state. His familiarity with the problems that the poor and the marginalised face helped him push for policies that changed their lives. The Sangh’s ideology and thrust on antyodaya [uplifting the last person in the queue] was the bedrock of his social welfarism,” said the RSS leader quoted above.
In interviews to the media, Modi often spoke about being given charge of the state during testing circumstances and how his mother had asked him to work for the poor.
“When I took oath as CM, I remember my mother telling me – I do not have much understanding of your work but I only seek two things. First, you will always work for the poor and second, you will never take a bribe. I also told people that whatever I do will be with the best intent and will be inspired by a vision to serve the very last person in the queue,” the PM said on X in 2025.
Gujarat model
As CM, Modi was hailed for transforming the state through a spate of projects and plans. From infrastructure upgrades to bringing water to parched lands, and from roads and highways to new industries – everything came together to build the famed Gujarat model. “From the time he was a karyakarta (worker) in the party he has adapted to changes and challenges,” said a BJP leader, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
The experiences he gained from working as a party man from 1995 to 2001 – travelling to Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Assam and Himachal Pradesh – gave him an insight into how Indians lived and the peculiarities of political life, said the BJP leader quoted above.
“This experience came in handy when he took over as PM. The Gujarat model of focussing on infrastructure, investment and industry was replicated pan-India. And social welfare became the cornerstone of decision-making. All this while the party emerged as a political behemoth, winning state after state and expanding its footprint,” said the BJP leader.
The PM’s ability to adhere to ideological compulsions while pursuing the development agenda was also hailed. The completion of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir – both long-pending demands of the RSS — have paved the way for smooth ties with the ideological fount.
A former chief minister and BJP leader said the PM’s ability of “reinventing” himself has been a key factor in facing challenges and overcoming the Opposition. “Just when people begin to wonder what he will do next, he surprises with his ability to reinvent himself. He is a good listener, he invests time in understanding issues and coming up with suggestions. That is how he has been at the helm since 2014, driving change,” the former CM said.
In the PM’s own words, when he was declared the BJP’s PM-candidate in 2013, the nation was witnessing a crisis of trust and governance. “The then UPA government was synonymous with the worst form of corruption, cronyism and policy paralysis. India was seen as a weak link in the global order. But, the wisdom of the people of India gave our alliance a thumping majority and also ensured that our Party got an absolute majority, a first after 3 long decades,” the PM said in a post last year.
Transformation
His party colleagues credit the PM for driving out-of-the-box solutions for challenges ranging from poverty alleviation to the climate crisis. “His curiosity, consistency and communication skills are what set him apart. In Gujarat, he set up the climate change division and a forensic university when others were still to acknowledge the need for such interventions. He is always thinking of doing something new, the most recent example is his attempt to forge a connection with the younger lot, the Gen Z. He did not hesitate to shift to a medium of communication that they use…” said a second party leader and Union minister.
He also credited the PM for securing India’s position on the international stage, strengthening internal security and articulating India’s position on the global stage. “He has been able to build a rapport with world leaders. India has a voice at international forums. He has been able to withstand pressure and pursue bilateral interests,” said the second leader.
The road ahead
Having positioned himself as the BJP’s most effective leader, the biggest vote puller and a political asset, the PM’s third term in office has seen some turbulence. The party’s reduced strength in the Lok Sabha has forced the BJP to rely on allies including the Janata Dal (United), the Telugu Desam Party, the Shiv Sena and a bunch of smaller parties.Administrative lapses such as examination paper leaks and discontent over the lack of white-collar jobs have also emerged as problem areas. And the global turmoil – from wars in Ukraine and West Asia to US trade policy bumps – has created a more difficult geopolitical terrain.
But Modi remains the most popular political leader in the country by some distance, having led his party’s stupendous performances in states such as Haryana, Maharashtra and especially West Bengal – where the party ousted regional behemoth Trinamool Congress and won the state for the first time since independence. A crucial set of assembly polls – including in Uttar Pradesh – looms next year, ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. The party is confident that Modi will remain the central figure and the axis on which politics will continue to pivot.
