Amid predictions that he is set to secure a third straight term, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday spoke about the prospect of equalling first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's record of three terms in an exclusive interview to NDTV.
The Prime Minister said, "In Gujarat, analysts used to write 'longest serving chief minister of the state'. It's the job of the analysts...You should not compare how many terms but should do it on how much India has progressed in Modi's term."
Calling it a "journey", he said, "Modi will win thrice, five times or even seven times. I have the blessings of 140 crore people of India so this will go on."
Jawaharlal Nehru served as Prime Minister of India from 1947 till 1964. He was elected Prime Minister after the Congress party won the first general elections in 1951-52 and then in 1957 and 1962.
PM Modi also explained in the exclusive interview why the government named the spot on the Moon where India's Chandrayaan-3 lander Vikram touched down as 'Shiv Shakti' and not something else.
"The touchdown spot could've been named something else. If they (Opposition) were in power, they would've named it after their family...but I cannot do that," he said, in an apparent swipe at the Congress.
"India has given philosophy to the world and I feel proud in naming it after the idea which controls the universe (Shiv Shakti). When I say 'Shiv Shakti', 140 crore people of India can connect with it. If a family had named it, then only a section of the population could connect with it," he added.
"Shiv Shakti is a name that motivates and empowers. It is a name that guides people," the Prime Minister explained.
PM Modi also reacted to the Opposition's allegation that he called the government's accomplishments his own.
"The first issue is whether we are proud of India's achievements or not, and whether should we do it or not. I don't understand why they have a problem in feeling proud of the accomplishment. They say why does Modi take credit? Instead of feeling proud, they want to take credit for it," he said.
"When Atal Bihari Vajpayee's government was in power, we detonated the nuclear bombs in 1998. The Opposition said the scientists had done it. Thirteen days later, India detonated another bomb despite facing sanctions, there was the political will to do it," he said.
"When Chandrayaan-2 failed in 2019, there was strength in the political leadership to take responsibility for the failure by standing next to the scientists. I could've run away, but I didn't do it and stayed there to motivate them. I take ownership," the Prime Minister said.
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