NEW DELHI – Narendra Modi left journalists disappointed on Friday as herefused to answer questions at what Indian media had billed as hisfirst-ever press conference as prime minister.
At the event in New Delhi, two days before the end of India’s mammothelection, Modi made a statement but then deflected journalists’ questionsto the president of his party sat next to him.
“I am a disciplined soldier, party president is supreme,” Modi told one oftwo reporters who asked him a direct question.
“I have answered your question. It is not necessary for the PM to answerevery question,” Shah, president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) toldthe journalist.
Modi, 68, is notoriously shy of the media, having never given a pressconference since becoming prime minister of the world’s largest democracyin 2014.
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Critics say Modi knows in advance what he will be asked in televisioninterviews and that the questions are soft and often fawning.
Voting in India’s almost seven-week election ends on Sunday with resultsdue on Thursday.
