PM Modi Marks 25 Years in Public Office With Temple Prayers in Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered prayers at a temple in Delhi, marking 25 years since he first assumed public office as chief minister of Gujarat in October 2001.

The Prime Minister was seen participating in rituals at the shrine, dressed in traditional attire. The engagement was a personal, faith-related visit, and no policy statements or official announcements were made during it.

Mr Modi's career in elected office began on 7 October 2001, when he was sworn in as chief minister of Gujarat, succeeding Keshubhai Patel. He led the state for close to 13 years, winning successive assembly elections in 2002, 2007 and 2012.

In May 2014, he led the Bharatiya Janata Party to a clear majority in the Lok Sabha and became prime minister, the first to hold the office having been born after Independence. The party secured a larger mandate in 2019, and in 2024 Mr Modi took oath for a third consecutive term, a feat previously achieved only by Jawaharlal Nehru.

Between 2001 and 2024, Mr Modi contested and won three Gujarat assembly elections as chief minister and three Lok Sabha elections from Varanasi. Continuous public office over a quarter of a century is uncommon in Indian politics, where coalition arrangements and shifting electoral fortunes regularly interrupt careers.

The milestone has drawn attention to the wider question of faith in public life. India's Constitution requires the state to maintain equal respect for all religions while guaranteeing every individual the freedom to profess, practise and propagate faith. Leaders across the political spectrum — presidents, prime ministers, chief ministers and legislators — have visited temples, mosques, churches and gurdwaras in both personal and official capacities, a practice that has long been part of the country's public life.

Assessments of the Prime Minister's record over these 25 years differ sharply. Supporters point to economic reform, large-scale infrastructure building and a more assertive foreign policy. Critics raise concerns over unemployment, price rise, curbs on press freedom and the treatment of religious minorities. These competing claims lie at the centre of India's current political debate and are likely to be contested in the elections ahead.

The temple visit was widely shared on social media by the Prime Minister's office and party handles, drawing reactions from supporters and opponents alike. Political milestones in India are frequently accompanied by such public observances, which carry symbolic weight without altering the constitutional framework under which the government functions.

The Prime Minister's office has not linked the visit to any specific programme or announcement. For now, the occasion stands as a marker of a political career that began in Gandhinagar in 2001 and has since run through three terms in the state and three in the Centre.