Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday, 26 May 2026, publicly endorsed the launch of 'Apnapan', a new book authored by fellow Cabinet minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan that chronicles three decades of personal and political experiences with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Puri praised the book as a window into Modi's dedication to the nation, describing the Prime Minister as a 'visionary leader and remarkable organisation-builder' whose decisions and relationships always reflect a sense of belonging.

Context

In his post, Puri wrote — translated from Hindi — that 'whether as a dedicated worker, a skilled administrator, or a visionary leader and extraordinary organisation-builder, PM Modi's decisions, communication, and relationships always reflect a sense of apnapan [belonging or warmth].' He noted that his Cabinet colleague Shivraj Singh Chouhan had woven three decades of experiences, memories, and emotional moments with the Prime Minister into words.

Puri added that the book, being launched on the day of the post, 'will introduce readers to Modi ji's spirit of dedication towards Mother India' and that 'every page of this book will offer a new lesson.' The post carried the hashtag #ApnapanBook, signalling a coordinated promotional push around the release.

Policy Backdrop

Shivraj Singh Chouhan is one of the BJP's most prominent organisational faces, having served multiple terms as Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh before joining the Union Cabinet. His association with PM Modi spans the period when both rose through the ranks of the party's governance ecosystem — Modi as Gujarat's Chief Minister and later as Prime Minister, and Chouhan as a state-level anchor of BJP's electoral machinery in central India.

Senior BJP ministers have, over the years, regularly issued public endorsements of publications that frame PM Modi's leadership style as defined by personal warmth and organisational discipline. Such endorsements serve a dual purpose: they reinforce intra-party solidarity and project a curated image of the Prime Minister to the party's grassroots workers and the broader public.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary audience for 'Apnapan' is the BJP's vast network of party workers and supporters, for whom first-person accounts from senior leaders carry motivational and ideological weight. Books of this genre — political memoirs anchored around a central leader — have historically found wide circulation within party structures, often distributed at organisational events and training programmes.

For Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the launch marks a moment of personal reflection made public, reinforcing his stature as one of the few leaders with an unbroken, decades-long proximity to PM Modi. For Hardeep Singh Puri, the endorsement underscores his role as an active participant in the BJP's broader communication ecosystem, beyond his portfolio responsibilities.

What's Next

The hashtag campaign and ministerial endorsements suggest that further book-release events, serialised excerpts, or promotional engagements involving other Cabinet colleagues may follow in the coming weeks. Such rollouts typically include readings, panel discussions, and distribution drives at party conclaves.

The book's reception among rank-and-file BJP workers will be closely watched as an indicator of how intra-party narratives about PM Modi's leadership style are being shaped ahead of future electoral cycles.