Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become the longest-serving non-Congress leader to occupy the office. The prime minister, on August 13, surpassed the tenure of 2,268 days that his BJP senior Atal Bihari Vajpayee had clocked in his three terms combined.

Vajpayee served three terms as prime minister of India. He was first elected as PM in 1996 and was in office for 13 days between May 16 and June 1. His second stint came in 1998, when he served as PM for 13 months between March 1998 and April 1999. This was followed by a five-year term between 1999 and 2004.

PM Modi, who took the oath of the prime minister in May 2014, has now become the fourth longest-serving PM after Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Manmohan Singh, all belonging to Congress.

India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, who assumed office on August 15, 1947, stayed in the seat till May 27, 1964, a total of 6,130 days or almost 17 years.

His daughter Indira Gandhi was the second longest-serving PM of India, holding office for almost 11 years. She first assumed office on January 24, 1966, and continued till March 24, 1977. She returned as PM on January 14, 1980, and continued till her assassination on October 31, 1984. She was in the office for 5,829 days.

Manmohan Singh was in office for a decade, between May 22, 2004, and May 26, 2014, a total of 3,656 days.

“Today, PM Narendra Modi becomes the 4th longest-serving Prime Minister in Indian history! He also becomes the longest-serving Indian PM of non-Congress origin. Vajpayee ji served for 2,268 days in all his terms combined. Today PM Modi has surpassed that tenure,” Union minister Jitendra Singh tweeted.

BJP IT department in-charge Amit Malviya also tweeted about the same. “Today, PM Narendra Modi becomes the fourth longest-serving PM in the history of India! He now also holds the distinction of being the longest-serving non-Congress PM. Vajpayee ji served for 2,268 days, with all his terms put together. Today PM Modi has surpassed that duration,” wrote Malviya.