PM Narendra Modi.
Credit: PTI Photo
Bhubaneswar: Describing himself as a doer, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the perception of Brand Modi is the outcome of the trust of the people he has gained in his over two decades of public life.
In an exclusive interview to PTI, the Prime Minister said he will do whatever it takes to achieve the goal of making India a developed nation by 2047.
He was replying to questions on the longevity of 'Brand Modi' and whether he saw himself becoming the prime minister in the ongoing elections as well as in 2029.
"I was not born to become someone. I was born to do something. It is my mission to turn my country into a developed nation (Viksit Bharat) by 2047. I have to do something and I keep doing whatever it takes to achieve this," Modi said.
"I am just a doer and it is the people of the country who decide who will become what," the prime minister said.
He said 'Brand Modi' worked because there was no conscious effort in building this brand.
The prime minister what one perceives as 'Brand Modi' is the outcome of the trust of people won over in more than two decades of his public life. People have seen the genuine efforts and tireless hard work that he has put in to improve the lives of the people, he added.
"They see a conviction that I will do nothing with a bad intention and will never be found lacking in the efforts that I put in. This trust and belief that they have put in me is the only and most cherished earning I have," Modi said.
"I am human. Mistakes may happen. But I will do nothing with bad intentions. I will not leave any stone unturned and make every effort. I have made these promises to the country. I follow them in letter and spirit till this day," he said.
Modi said the blessings of the people keep him going and give him strength.
"During my rallies and road shows, people from all ages, from children to grandmothers, and all walks of life, come to greet me and listen to me. I feel fortunate that even in the blazing sun, they show up in such large numbers," he said.
"When I see the spark of hope in their eyes and the assurance that they are standing behind me, it makes me all the more determined to fulfil the dreams and aspirations of my 140 crore family members," he said.
"It is people's trust that gives me strength. I instantly connect with them and can feel the overwhelming emotions they exude. Being among people, who are God personified, is nothing less than a divine experience for me and that is why I feel this inexplicable energy from within that pushes me to work even harder," the prime minister said.
Modi said he is unaware of how a brand works. People can see his life and the work he has done over the years in public life, he added.
"A person, who has worked as the chief minister of a state for 13 years and as prime minister for 10 years… and his 100-year-old mother spends her last days in a government hospital, then that country does not need a brand; the country can understand that (my) life is somewhat different," Modi said.