New Delhi, Oct 7 (IANS) : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday received a grand welcome as he arrived at the ‘Viksit Bharat Sankalp Sabha’ organised by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as part of the ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’ to mark 25 years of his public service, first as the Gujarat Chief Minister and subsequently as the country’s Prime Minister.
As PM Modi arrived to attend the ‘Viksit Bharat Sankalp Sabha’, people welcomed him by showering flowers, holding BJP flags and chanting ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’, ‘Swagat hai, bhai swagat hai; Modi ji ka swagat hai’ slogans. People were also seen taking out their phones to capture the moment.
Addressing the massive gathering, BJP National President Nitin Nabin congratulated PM Modi on the completion of 25 years as head of government. “People are giving their blessings and best wishes to you so you can continue serving the nation with the same dedication as you always have,” he said.
“We are continuously extending our best wishes to you and wishing you success so that you can take forward the resolve of a Viksit Bharat. Over these 25 years, like a lamp burning itself, you have continuously strived through your hard work and dedication to spread the light of development, confidence and self-respect in the lives of 140 crore Indians. On this historic occasion today, I express my gratitude to you and extend my best wishes for your long and successful public life,” he added.
“Today is an unforgettable day for all Indians and all BJP workers. Today is the day to witness the 25-year journey of a personality whose journey began amid struggles and who continued to move forward, facing every challenge,” he said.
Through his penance, dedication and resolve, Nabin said, PM Modi made public service the purpose of his life.
“For him, public service became the path to serving the nation, and with this resolve, he continued to move forward on the path of serving the nation by making politics and power a means of service,” he said.
Citing former President Pranab Mukherjee, Nabin highlighted how PM Modi was the first person in India’s history who was announced as the BJP’s Prime Minister’s face in front of the nation before the Lok Sabha elections, and people accepted him as their leader by giving the BJP a massive mandate.
The BJP chief praised the “transformative schemes” taken by the government under the leadership of PM Modi for the betterment of youth, students, women, the poor, sports, etc.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi marks 25 years of uninterrupted leadership as head of government, beginning with his oath as Gujarat Chief Minister on October 7, 2001, and continuing through three terms as Prime Minister of India.
In October 2001, PM Modi was chosen to replace Keshubhai Patel as Gujarat Chief Minister at a difficult time for the state, which was still dealing with the aftermath of the devastating Bhuj earthquake as well as political and administrative challenges.
He remained Chief Minister until 2014 before moving to national politics.
PM Modi’s tenure has also been marked by an expanded international profile for India, with the government pursuing greater diplomatic engagement, stronger relations with major powers and a prominent role for India in the Global South.
