Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party President Virendra Sachdeva on Tuesday, 26 May congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on completing 12 years in the country's highest office, calling 26 May 2014 the 'Foundation Day of service-oriented good governance.' Sachdeva's remarks came as the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government marked the anniversary with a nationwide outreach campaign spotlighting what it has described as its 22 major achievements.

Symbolic Governance Shifts Cited

The Delhi BJP chief pointed to a series of symbolic and administrative changes as evidence of a governance philosophy centred on public duty over political privilege. He cited the renaming of Rajpath to Kartavya Path, the rebranding of Raj Bhavan to Lok Bhavan, and the designation of the Central government office complex as Kartavya Bhavan as emblematic of this shift.

Sachdeva argued that these changes reflected a deliberate move away from colonial-era nomenclature toward a vocabulary of citizen service — a framing the BJP has consistently deployed since 2014.

Key Policy Milestones Highlighted

Sachdeva credited the Modi government with a range of policy actions over 12 years, including the management of the Covid-19 pandemic, military responses to what he described as Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, and the facilitation of the Shri Ram Temple construction in Ayodhya. He said these actions had 'fulfilled the aspirations of every Indian' and inspired citizens toward national service.

Political Gains in Delhi and Bengal

Sachdeva framed recent BJP electoral outcomes as governance dividends. He said that during the government's 11th year, in 2025, Delhi was freed from what he characterised as the 'anarchic and corrupt' administration of former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal — a tenure he described as spanning 11 years. In the government's 12th year, in 2026, he claimed Bengal too had come under BJP governance, ending what he called the 'corrupt and minority-appeasement-oriented misgovernance' of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. These characterisations represent the BJP's political position and have been contested by the respective parties.

Delhi Ration Card Expansion

Sachdeva also highlighted a welfare measure timed to the anniversary: the Delhi BJP government has raised the annual income eligibility limit for ration cards from ₹1.20 lakh to ₹2.50 lakh. Last week, the process of issuing 2.5 lakh new ration cards was initiated in the capital. Sachdeva described this as 'a new example of public service' on the occasion of the 12-year milestone.

Nationwide Outreach Campaign

To mark the anniversary, the Centre has launched a nationwide campaign in which Union ministers, BJP leaders, Chief Ministers, and Members of Parliament are connecting with citizens across the country. The campaign covers welfare schemes, infrastructure expansion, economic reforms, digital governance, foreign policy achievements, and social sector initiatives. It is centred on communicating the government's self-assessed record to voters ahead of the political calendar.