Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma asserted on Saturday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will return to power for a third consecutive term after the 2024 general election, even though there could be many candidates for the post.

Sarma said the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) and the country's only candidate for the post of prime minister is Modi.

"Narendra Modi will become the prime minister again with the blessings of people," he told a press conference here.

Asked about other prospective candidates for the Prime Minister's Office, Sarma said anyone can be a candidate for the top post and there is nothing wrong in it.

"I am not concerned about who will get the silver or bronze medals," he said.

Asked about Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's comments that he considers the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the BJP his "guru", Sarma said if Gandhi feels that way, he should visit the RSS headquarters in Nagpur, bow his head before the "Bharat Mata" flag and offer "gurudakshina".

Gandhi on Saturday said he considers the RSS-BJP his guru and the more the saffron party attacks the Congress, the better it is for the opposition party to understand its ideology.

"I want them (BJP) to attack us aggressively, this will help the Congress party understand its ideology. I consider them (BJP) as my guru. They are showing me the way and training me on what is not to be done," he said.

On Gandhi not wearing woolens in this winter during his public appearances, Sarma, who was once in the Congress before switching loyalties to the BJP in 2015, said it was a fashion statement of the former Congress chief.

"There are scores of people in the country who are still poor due to the long Congress rule. The poor cannot afford to buy a blanket or woolens. Rahul has everything but he is not wearing those. That is Rahul's fashion statement," the Assam chief minister said.