Smriti Irani Debunks 'Biggest Myth' About PM Modi: 'There Is Nobody Close...'

Former Union Minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani recently spoke to Bollywood actress Soha Ali Khan on her podcast on a host of topics, ranging from her early days where she struggled to acting and politics.

Irani debunked the biggest, what she calls, a myth about Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Here's what she said:

In a candid conversation with Soha Ali Khan, Irani said, "Let me break the biggest myth. There is nobody close to the Prime Minister. Anyone who you ever meet, ever says how great a relationship they share with the Prime Minister, they either don't know the Prime Minister or they are outright lying."

Irani spoke about working with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, describing him as focussed and demanding taskmaster. "He is somebody who has left home for a larger cause," she explains, noting that his entire focus is on national service. "For him it is very clear... 'I have one life, I want to give back to my country'. That's it."

She says he selects people only on the basis of their effectiveness and "doesn't indulge people just for the sake of indulgence."

Irani emphasised on Modi's meticulous nature and strong memory. "He teaches you how to work at the details," she says. "You'd better know your job... because he has an elephantine memory. He will remember what you said on that topic in 2007, what you did in 2016."

Irani noted that the prime minister's professional style is marked by impartiality. "He doesn't get very infused with emotions. He is very, very clear. No favourites. Doesn't forget faux pas at all."

Working under such a leader, she notes, is a tough but transformative experience: "If you are with that taskmaster for 10 years, you become sharper."

Irani entered the Parliament in 2011 as a Member of the Rajya Sabha, representing Gujarat, and was re-elected for a second term in 2017. She is known for her high-profile electoral battles in the Amethi constituency. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, she unsuccessfully challenged the sitting MP and then-Congress President, Rahul Gandhi.

Five years later, in a significant political upset, she defeated Gandhi in the 2019 elections to win the Amethi seat. However, in the 2024 general elections, she lost the seat to Congress candidate Kishori Lal Sharma. Irani is now back to her acting career as television's favourite bahu 'Tulsi' in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2.