Pranab Mukherjee with Narendra Modi (Source: Twitter/Narendra Modi) Pranab Mukherjee with Narendra Modi (Source: Twitter/Narendra Modi)

Ahead of his swearing-in, prime minister-elect Narendra Modi on Tuesday met former President Pranab Mukherjee in Delhi to seek his blessings. Calling Mukherjee a “statesman,” Modi described the meeting as an “enriching” experience.

Sharing the pictures on Twitter, Modi wrote, “Meeting Pranab Da is always an enriching experience. His knowledge and insights are unparalleled. He is a statesman who has made an indelible contribution to our nation. Sought his blessings during our meeting today.”

Pranab Mukherjee served as President from 2012 to 2017. In January this year, the NDA government conferred on him the highest civilian award Bharat Ratna.

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During his Presidential years, he and Prime Minister Narendra Modi enjoyed a very cordial relationship and established a good working rapport. So much so that Mukherjee, in his farewell speech in Parliament, said he had strived to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution, not just in word but also in spirit and “in this task, I greatly benefitted from the advice and co-operation extended by Prime Minister Modi at every step”.

Since leading the BJP to a victory in the Lok Sabha battle, Modi has been meeting senior leaders ahead of the oath-taking ceremony on Thursday. Leaders of all BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) nations – Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan – have been invited for the ceremony.

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