Modi became PM with public support; Nehru, Indira due to inevitability of circumstances: BJP

New Delhi: The BJP on Friday hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tenure as "golden chapters of development" and said he came to the helm with public support while Indira Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru became prime minister for the first time either due to "inevitability of circumstances or political manoeuvring".

The BJP's remarks came after Modi overtook Indira Gandhi to become the second-longest serving prime minister of India in consecutive terms after he completed 4,078 days in office on Friday.

Gandhi was in the office in an unbroken stint for 4,077 days -- from January 24, 1966 to March 24, 1977.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi completed 4,078 days of his continuous tenure today. With this, he surpassed the record of Indira Gandhi's tenure and became the second-longest serving prime minister in consecutive terms after Jawaharlal Nehru. Every Indian is feeling happy," BJP Rajya Sabha MP and national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi told reporters here.

"While the tenure of the previous two prime ministers had dark chapters of autocracy, there have been golden chapters of development during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's," he added.

The BJP leader said Modi became prime minister with public support.

"Indira Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru became the prime minister for the first time due to the inevitability of circumstances or political manoeuvring of the circumstances, not due to public support," he added.

Gandhi was in the office in an unbroken stint for 4,077 days, from January 24, 1966 to March 24, 1977.

The record for the unbroken stint is held by Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister. Both Modi and Nehru led their respective parties to victory in three consecutive Lok Sabha elections.

Nehru, who remained at the helm from August 15, 1947 till his death on May 27, 1964, had an uninterrupted tenure of 6,130 days.