‘Long way to go’: PM Modi hails Amit Shah as longest-serving Home Minister

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday praised Union Home Minister Amit Shah as the country’s longest-serving home minister and said this was “just the beginning” for him — a remark that has sparked buzz within the BJP about a possible bigger role for the senior leader.

Speaking at a meeting of the NDA parliamentary party, Modi pointed out that Shah had now surpassed veteran leader LK Advani’s tenure as home minister. “Yeh to abhi shuruaat hai… abhi aur aage jaana hai (This is just the beginning… he has a long way to go),” Modi reportedly said, according to someone present at the meeting.

Advani had served as home minister from March 1998 to May 2004. Shah, who took office in May 2019, has now crossed that mark with over 2,258 days in the role. In a post on X, the BJP highlighted Shah’s landmark decisions, including the abrogation of Article 370, action against terrorism, and efforts to strengthen internal security.

The Prime Minister’s comment was seen by many in the party as more than just appreciation. A senior BJP leader, speaking off the record, said it reinforces Shah’s status as Modi’s trusted aide and sends a clear message about the party’s leadership structure. “There have been murmurs and speculation, but the PM’s words seem to have settled that,” the leader said.

Shah has been a close associate of Modi since their days in Gujarat, and played a key role in BJP’s 2014 landslide win, especially in Uttar Pradesh. That year, he was appointed BJP national president, and under his leadership, the party expanded significantly, including in the Northeast.

As home minister, Shah has helmed key legislations and pushed forward several of the BJP’s ideological goals. A senior leader said his tenure is marked by a crackdown on left-wing extremism, terror financing, and major policy moves like Article 370 and the push for a Uniform Civil Code. “He is deeply rooted in the Sangh’s ideology but also practical in political decision-making,” the leader added.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Modi also said he was confident that left-wing extremism would be eliminated by 2026 — a goal Shah has been working towards.

Social media was flooded with messages congratulating Shah. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju posted: “Heartfelt congratulations to Shri @AmitShah ji on becoming the longest-serving Union Home Minister in India’s history. His unwavering resolve, from the abrogation of Article 370 to the firm stand against terrorism, continues to shape New India.”