As the BJP returned to power with an overwhelming majority in the Lok Sabha elections on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took off the Chowkidar prefix on his Twitter handle.

In a tweet, he explained that chowkidar remained an integral part of him.

Now, the time has come to take the Chowkidar Spirit to the next level.

Keep this spirit alive at every moment and continue working for India’s progress.

The word ‘Chowkidar’ goes from my Twitter name but it remains an integral part of me. Urging you all to do the same too!

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 23, 2019

Modi who had started using the prefix chowkidar around the time the election campaign began, praised those who followed him.

“The people of India became Chowkidars and rendered great service to the nation. Chowkidar has become a powerful symbol to safeguard India from the evils of casteism, communalism, corruption and cronyism,” he wrote in another tweet.

During the election campaign Modi urged BJP supporters to adopt the chowkidar’s spirit to safeguard the country.

Most of his cabinet .ministers, BJP chief ministers and other senior leaders of the party has also started using the prefix chowkidar in their Twitter handles after Modi did so. Thousands of BJP supporters also followed suit.

Only a few like BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP Subranmanian Swamy did not do so. Swamy went on to say he is a Brahmin and could not be a chowkidar.

The Opposition ,particularly the Congress, mocked the chowkidar slogan and claimed that some of India’s biggest scamsters and financial offenders had escaped from the country under his watch.

First Published: May 23, 2019 18:58 IST