Amit Shah becomes longest serving Home Minister, PM Modi says this is "just the beginning"

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday acknowledged Amit Shah as the longest-serving Home Minister of India. He said that this was "just the beginning" for the lawmaker, further fueling speculation that it was more than an appreciation, indicating a bigger role ahead. 

PM Modi's remarks came during a recent NDA Parliamentary meeting while addressing the MPs. He referred to Union Minister Amit Shah, stating that he had surpassed the tenure of former Home Minister Lal Krishna Advani in office. The PM was quoted as saying, "Yeh toh abhi shuruat hai...abhi aur aage jaana hai (This is just the beginning, he has a long way to go)". 

LK Advani held the position of the Home Minister of India from March 1998 to May 2004 for the longest continuous period. Amit Shah was appointed in 2019 and has held the office ever since, serving for the second term now.

Taking to X, the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) posted, "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 internal security." 

Congratulations to Shri @AmitShah ji on becoming the longest-serving Union Home Minister in India’s history. ????????

From the historic abrogation of Article 370 to an iron-clad stance against terrorism — his tenure has been marked by unwavering resolve and decisive leadership.

The… pic.twitter.com/Bf5k3i2qQR

— BJP (@BJP4India) August 5, 2025

Amit Shah has been a close and long-time confidant of PM Modi, ever since he worked with the latter in Gujarat. During the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, he led BJP's campaign in Uttar Pradesh. The party won 71 out of 80 seats, with Shah playing a major role with his social engineering skills. He was appointed as BJP's National Chief then, replacing Rajnath Singh, who became the Home Minister. 

Shah's organizational skills and apt planning in Uttar Pradesh ensured a big win for BJP in the state, bringing it back to power in 2017, after 14 years. He also worked for the expansion of the party, both in members and presence. BJP gained power in the Northeastern states, including Assam, Manipur, and Tripura. Steering his key skills as the Home Minister in 2019, Shah effectively abrogated Article 370, reducing left-wing extremism, terror financing, and other concerns. During the meeting, PM Modi also praised Shah and stated that he is confident that Left-wing extremism will end by 2026. 

Well, it can be an anonymous condition, with the Prime Minister only talking about the "strong and close relations" with Shah. But still, the speculations are high owing to the party hierarchy and Amit Shah's role and hold within, which proves his capability and capacity.