Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said that Narendra Modi is the only leader after Mahatma Gandhi who understood the people of India, their aspirations, and sentiments; thus he connects directly with the people, who in turn trust him.

Speaking during the release of a book, "The Architect of the New BJP: How Narendra Modi Transformed the Party," written by seasoned journalist Ajay Singh who is currently the press secretary to the President, the Defence Minister on Sunday praised the Prime Minister`s governance and organisational strengths. He said that Prime Minister has "no parallel in contemporary politics".

"He (Modi) has made the BJP a `poll-winning machine` with his innovations, without compromising on ideology," Singh added.

(With inputs from agencies)