PM Modi savours jhalmuri at NDA meet as Bengal CM Adhikari serves iconic snack
Synopsis
A Bengali street snack became the centrepiece of the NDA's 12-year anniversary meeting in New Delhi, as West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari served 'jhalmuri' to PM Modi — the same snack that became a campaign symbol during the Bengal polls. The occasion also marked Modi crossing Nehru's record of 4,399 days as India's longest continuously serving elected Prime Minister.
Key Takeaways
Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari served 'jhalmuri' to PM Modi at the NDA meeting in New Delhi on 10 June .
PM Modi on 10 June crossed 4,399 days in office, surpassing Jawaharlal Nehru's record as India's longest continuously serving elected Prime Minister.
Former PM Indira Gandhi served over 14 years but her tenure was not continuous, distinguishing Modi's milestone.
The NDA meeting was convened to mark the alliance's 12th year in government and is expected to adopt a formal resolution honouring Modi's record. 'Jhalmuri' first became a political symbol when Modi made an unscheduled stop in Jhargram during the West Bengal Assembly campaign.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari served the beloved Bengali street snack 'jhalmuri' to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday, 10 June, transforming a political gathering into a moment of regional cultural celebration. The meeting was convened to mark the NDA government's 12th year in office and to honour Modi's milestone of becoming India's longest continuously serving elected Prime Minister.
The Jhalmuri Moment
PM Modi shared a video of the occasion on his official Instagram account, in which CM Adhikari is seen personally serving the puffed-rice snack to the Prime Minister at a makeshift counter. Modi then invited the vendor to serve the snack to other NDA leaders gathered nearby. BJP President Nitin Nabin was also seen relishing the treat.
Why Jhalmuri Carries Political Weight
'Jhalmuri' — whose name is rooted in the Bengali word 'jhal', meaning spicy or hot — emerged as an unlikely political symbol during the West Bengal Assembly election campaign, after PM Modi made an unscheduled stop in Jhargram to grab a quick bite of the snack during a hectic rally schedule. The impromptu moment resonated widely, framing the snack as a metaphor for both the heat of the political contest and Bengal's distinct regional identity. Revisiting that imagery at the NDA meeting was a deliberate callback to that campaign chapter.
Modi's Historic Milestone
On 10 June, PM Modi surpassed the record of 4,399 days in office held by India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru — a figure calculated from Nehru's elected tenure beginning in 1952, after the country's first general elections, rather than from his interim government period of 1947–1952. While former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi served more than 14 years in total, her tenure was not continuous, making Modi the longest continuously serving elected Prime Minister in India's history.
What the NDA Meeting Is Expected to Cover
According to sources, the alliance is likely to adopt a formal resolution congratulating PM Modi on the historic milestone. The meeting is also expected to focus on the NDA's governance record, future policy priorities, and political roadmap ahead. The commemoration brings together leaders from across the alliance's constituent parties at the national capital.
The gathering underscores the BJP-led NDA's intent to frame its 12-year tenure as a unified political achievement — with the jhalmuri serving as a culturally resonant, if symbolic, flourish to that narrative.
Point of View
Regional, and shareable — but it sits atop a more substantive political moment: Modi crossing Nehru's continuously-serving record is a milestone the BJP will use extensively in campaign messaging. The distinction between 'continuous' and 'total' tenure is doing real work here; it frames Indira Gandhi's longer aggregate time in office as structurally lesser, a framing that is factually defensible but politically convenient. What mainstream coverage may underplay is that the NDA meeting's resolution, if adopted, becomes official alliance doctrine — setting the tone for how the coalition presents its identity heading into the next electoral cycle.
NationPress
27 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did CM Suvendu Adhikari serve jhalmuri to PM Modi at the NDA meeting?
Adhikari served jhalmuri as a culturally symbolic gesture at the NDA's 12-year anniversary meeting on 10 June in New Delhi. The snack had become a political symbol during the West Bengal Assembly campaign after PM Modi made an unscheduled stop in Jhargram to eat it, and revisiting it was a deliberate callback to that moment.
How has PM Modi become India's longest continuously serving elected Prime Minister?
On 10 June, PM Modi surpassed 4,399 days in office — the record held by India's first PM Jawaharlal Nehru, counted from Nehru's elected tenure beginning in 1952. While Indira Gandhi served more than 14 years in total, her tenure was not continuous, giving Modi the distinction of the longest unbroken elected premiership.
What is the significance of the NDA's 12-year meeting?
The meeting marks the completion of 12 years of the NDA government at the Centre and is expected to adopt a resolution honouring PM Modi's historic tenure milestone. It is also set to review the alliance's governance record and chart future policy and political priorities.
What is jhalmuri and why is it politically significant in Bengal?
Jhalmuri is a popular Bengali street snack made with puffed rice and spices — its name derives from 'jhal', meaning spicy. It gained political resonance when PM Modi stopped for a quick bite in Jhargram during the West Bengal Assembly campaign, making it a symbol of regional identity and the intensity of that electoral contest.
Who else was present at the NDA meeting on 10 June?
BJP President Nitin Nabin was among those present and was seen enjoying the jhalmuri alongside other NDA leaders. The meeting brought together constituent party leaders from across the alliance at the national capital.
