This Day That Year: Why PM Modi is Thanking the People of India

In a series of tweets, Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked the nation today for the sweeping mandate to BJP exactly one year ago.

"16th May...this day last year...great memories," the PM tweeted. "I bow to my sisters & brothers of India & congratulate them (perhaps even more) on this memorable day."

The counting of votes for the 16th Lok Sabha elections took place on May 16. A single party majority was a first in nearly 30 years.

"The credit for this major shift goes to the people of India," PM Modi tweeted.

16th May...this day last year...great memories. pic.twitter.com/SaVN09ecij

- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 16, 2015

The government has planned huge celebrations for its first anniversary. The programme will begin on May 26 - the day the government was sworn it - with a rally in Mathura led by the Prime Minister. Altogether, 250 rallies will be held across India - roughly one for every two constituencies.

The programme will focus extensively on the achievements of the Modi government. Around 150 spokespersons have been briefed by three Union ministers - Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj and Ravishankar Prasad.

"The people's faith in Government has increased & the world's optimism about India & our growth is at an all-time high," tweeted the Prime Minister, who is currently in Shanghai for the last day of his three-day China visit.

I bow to my sisters & brothers of India & congratulate them (perhaps even more) on this memorable day.

- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 16, 2015

This morning, PM Modi held a series of meetings with industry leaders of China and sought investments in India. "Now India is ready for business, you would have seen winds of change... I assure you of my personal attention for your success," he told them.

In Beijing too, he had said India is now the next frontier of the economic revolution. "We now have the political mandate and the will to make it happen... Over the past year... We have taken sweeping steps to reform our policies... eliminating unnecessary regulations and simplifying our procedures."