India elections: PM Narendra Modi claims he has been chosen by God

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi has said he believes he has been chosen by God, as the multi-stage Indian election nears its completion.

“I am convinced that ‘Parmatma’ (God) sent me for a purpose. Once the purpose is achieved, my work will be one done. This is why I have completely dedicated myself to God,” he told NDTV news channel on Sunday.

Modi, who is hoping to win a third term when the results of the general election are announced on 4 June, said that while God guided him to do a lot of his work, he did so without revealing a larger scheme.

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“He does not reveal his cards, just keeps making me do things. And I cannot dial him directly to ask what’s next,” he said.

Modi has built up a well-established cult of personality within his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with many supporters unable to name other cabinet members or their local BJP candidate.

The BJP has also actively promoted Hinduism, the majority faith, in every aspect of public life. At the inauguration of the temple in Ayodhya in January, it was Modi, rather than Hindu priests, who played the leading role in the rituals.

Nonetheless, this is believed to be the first time that Modi, who rarely gives interviews and has held no press conferences in his ten years in power, has spoken about himself so candidly as a divine instrument.

“The wily weaving of religion with politics for a country where faith is an inextricable part of everyday life is the BJP’s USP [unique selling point]. Mr Modi’s claim is the logical culmination of the BJP’s dominant theme,” the Indian newspaper The Telegraph wrote in an editorial.

Earlier this month, in a television interview in Varanasi, his constituency, Modi made another allusion to divinity. “When my mother was alive, I used to believe that I was born biologically. After she passed away, upon reflecting on all my experiences, I was convinced that God had sent me,” he said.

He said the only explanation for his extraordinary energy had to be non-biological. “I believe God has given me abilities, inspiration, and good intentions for a purpose … I am nothing but an instrument.”

Congress Party leader Rahul Gandhi ridiculed his comments. “If an ordinary person had made the statements Modi has been making recently, they would be taken directly to a psychiatrist,” he said.

Asked by a TV anchor whether Modi was suffering from a “God complex”, BJP spokesperson Sanju Verma replied by extolling his energy.

“In a day, he packs in a couple of road shows, a couple of rallies, travels to three different states, and when he returns to Delhi in the evening, he gives full interviews to the media. He is bestowed with boundless energy,” said Verma.