India, Nov. 12 -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday recalled the day a group of journalists walked into his room at the BJP's Delhi office and told him he was about to become Gujarat's chief minister, pressing him to distribute sweets. Speaking to reporters at the party headquarters, he said almost nobody knew of the decision at the time, with only a handful of senior leaders in the loop.

Mr Modi, who spent much of his time at the party office on Ashoka Road, said the journalists arrived unexpectedly and demanded sweets. When he asked what the occasion was, they said he was being posted to Gujarat to take charge as chief minister, and he recalled their instruction: "mithai khilao". He said he denied knowing anything about the move...