Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the Shiv Sena leader, on Tuesday, 9 June declared that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has surpassed the tenure of former Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, marking 12 years of what Shinde described as highly successful national leadership. Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, Shinde credited Modi's stewardship for sweeping gains across development, the economy, national security, and public welfare.

Economy and Global Standing

Shinde pointed to India's economic trajectory as a central achievement, claiming the country has climbed from the 11th position to the 4th largest economy in the world and is now, according to him, rapidly advancing toward the 3rd position. He argued that India has maintained robust growth at a time when several global economies are facing severe headwinds. Shinde expressed confidence that Modi is steering India toward becoming an economic superpower in line with the vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047.

National Security and Operation Sindhu

Addressing national security, Shinde referred to the Pahalgam incident, in which he alleged Pakistan attempted to outrage the dignity of Indian citizens. He credited Modi's decisive leadership for enabling the Indian Army to retaliate swiftly, striking, as Shinde put it, 'the enemy in their own backyard.' He also took aim at Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of casting aspersions on Indian soldiers during Operation Sindhu and of consistently defaming India on both domestic and international platforms. 'The more the opposition targets PM Modi, the more resiliently the public will stand behind him,' Shinde said.

Corruption, Welfare, and Direct Benefit Transfer

Shinde contrasted what he characterised as the corruption-ridden era before 2014 with the current administration. He invoked former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's well-known remark that of every rupee sent from the Centre, only 15 paise reached the actual beneficiary, citing it as evidence of systemic leakage in earlier governments. He credited the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system introduced under Modi for eliminating such leakage by depositing funds directly into beneficiaries' bank accounts. Shinde also claimed that nearly 32 crore citizens have been lifted out of poverty under the current government, and that free food grains are being provided to 80 crore underprivileged citizens.

Infrastructure and Governance

The Deputy Chief Minister claimed that the construction of roads, bridges, highways, railways, and airports over the past 12 years has exceeded all infrastructure built in India prior to 2014. He described Modi as a leader with an unblemished record who, in his words, works tirelessly without taking a single day off — a characterisation that draws heavily on ruling-party framing.

Opposition and Mahayuti Alliance

Shinde challenged the INDIA bloc opposition alliance, asking pointedly who its prime ministerial face is, in contrast to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)'s clear projection of Modi. He alleged that unity within the opposition is fracturing, citing recent electoral losses by alliance partners. On the Maharashtra coalition's internal dynamics, Shinde affirmed that he and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis continue to work cohesively, describing their coordination as 'ironclad.' He concluded by reiterating that the Mahayuti alliance's stated goal is the comprehensive development of Maharashtra, not the pursuit of power or positions.