'Abhi aur aage jaana hai': In Modi's praise for Shah, a message of continuity with a hint at the future

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Union Home Minister Amit Shah. (File: PTI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday showered rich praise at senior BJP leader Amit Shah, acknowledging him as the longest-serving Union Home Minister of India. The PM's remarks came during a meeting of the NDA parliamentary party in the national capital where the ruling alliance unanimously adopted a resolution recognizing the success of Operation Sindoor.

"Yeh to abhi shuruaat hai…abhi aur aage jaana hai (This is just the beginning… there is a long way to go)," the PM was quoted as saying by a leader present at the meeting, reported Hindustan Times.

The PM's remarks, further cementing Shah's position as the undisputed no.2 in the BJP's hierarchy, also sent out a strong signal of continuity in power and the duo's role in it. Shah has been a trusted aide of PM Modi since their days in Gujarat where the latter served as the Home Minister under Modi as CM.

"With 2,258 days in office, he has now surpassed Lal Krishna Advani’s tenure of 2,256 days as Home Minister. Before them, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India’s first Home Minister, served for 1,218 days. Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s tenure has been marked by bold, historic decisions - from the abrogation of Article 370 to a firm crackdown on terrorism and strengthening of internal security," the BJP said in a post on X.

Shah is also credited widely for the BJP's stellar rise across the country -- particularly in Uttar Pradesh where the party bagged 71 out of 80 seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Shah was responsible for the BJP's campaign in the state for the polls.

His social engineering skills as well as his ability to stitch alliances with smaller parties have been a key factor behind the growing influence of the NDA and the BJP's expanding footprint.

The PM's remarks, thus can also be seen as the confidence he has in his trusted lieutenant as the duo set out in their quest for a record fourth straight term in power at the Centre.

"The PM's endorsement is a recognition of his (Shah's) capacity and capability. As Home minister he is credited with reducing Left Wing Extremism, clamping down on terror financing, and has been at the forefront of pushing for the ideological concerns such as the Abrogation of Article 370 (from Jammu and Kashmir), Unified Civil Code… He is rooted in the Sangh's ideology and pragmatic in his political decision-making," a second senior party leader told HT.

As BJP president, Shah showed unmatched organizational skills as the BJP won the 2017 Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, a first for the party in 14 years. It was under Shah's tenure that the BJP saw an aggressive campaign for expansion -- both in terms of its membership as well as in conquering new frontiers like Assam, Manipur and Tripura.

Known to be a hard task-master and a master strategist, Shah's role will be crucial as the BJP sets out on its task to establish its dominance in the South, the only region where the party has struggled to find a foothold. The PM's remarks show that he will be banking on Shah in surmounting this challenge as well.

Besides expanding the BJP's footprint, the PM's praise at the NDA event also reveal his dependence on Shah when it comes to the implementation of his policy agenda. Shah has previously steered key bills in Parliament, including the one to abrogate Article 370.

In effect, the PM's remarks in reference to Shah at a meeting where all NDA MPs were present, are not to be seen as ordinary praise for the 60-year-old leader. There is a message it holds for the BJP's future and Shah's undisputed role under Modi's leadership.