A quarter-century of unbroken political tenure — sworn in as Gujarat Chief Minister on 7 October 2001, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has now led a government without interruption for 25 years, a milestone that cuts across party lines and prompted AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha to pen a detailed, reflective tribute on Wednesday.

From Gandhinagar to Raisina Hill: a journey across three mandates

Chadha's post traces a clear arc: Modi entered office in 2001 amid a turbulent period for Gujarat, secured three successive state mandates, and then made the shift to New Delhi in 2014 — a shift followed by three consecutive Lok Sabha victories. That unbroken chain of electoral renewal, Chadha argues, is itself the story. 'A first mandate can come from hope and expectation,' he writes. 'But when people keep renewing that mandate over many years, the expectations become greater and so does performance.'

The note is striking for its cross-partisan character. Chadha, a senior spokesperson of the Aam Aadmi Party — which has contested many elections in direct opposition to the BJP — frames the tribute in terms of governance continuity rather than ideology, citing grievance redressal, rural electrification, water management, and technology adoption as ideas that originated in Gujarat and were later scaled nationally.

The Gujarat model and its national echo

Chadha lists a substantial catalogue of what he describes as an 'equally large expansion' under the national phase: financial inclusion, digital payments, infrastructure, welfare delivery, manufacturing, healthcare, and the use of technology in government. The framing is consistent with how the BJP has itself narrated the Gujarat-to-India trajectory — but the fact that an AAP MP is offering a similar reading gives the tribute an unusual texture.

He also signals attention to what comes next: Modi's stated ambitions for India to become one of the world's top three economies, build a self-reliant manufacturing base, invest in semiconductors, AI, and space, deepen energy security, and fulfil the vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047.

'Hum karke rahenge': the three words Modi chose for Year 25

The most resonant detail in Chadha's post is a quote he attributes to the Prime Minister on the anniversary itself: 'Hum karke rahenge' — roughly, 'We will get it done.' Three words, Chadha says, that 'summed up that determination' as Modi publicly framed the next phase of governance.

Chadha closes with congratulations and a wish for 'good health, strength and many more years in the service of Bharat,' tagging the moment #25YearsOfSeva — twenty-five years of service.

Twenty-five years in power is a milestone that demands reckoning, whatever one's politics. The conversation about what comes next has already begun — and even those on the other side of the aisle are watching closely.