Narendra Modi today completed nine years in office, becoming the longest serving chief minister of Gujarat.
Modi had taken over as chief minister on October 7, 2001, replacing Keshubhai Patel.
"I would like to thank the people of Gujarat as well as the country on today's occasion. Amid many challenges and roadblocks, natural calamities, political intolerance and untouchability, the BJP government has completed nine years of rule here and has entered the tenth year," Modi said in a statement.
"This decade has been a decade of progress of the state. I am working for laying the foundation of golden Gujarat, stronger Gujarat and a glorious Gujarat," he said.
The statement, which also highlighted Modi's achievements, said that as chief minister he converted adversities into opportunities and weaknesses into strengths.
"Modi has succeeded in promoting meritocracy in the state, growth with discipline and has turned Gujarat into global business hub," it said.
Yesterday, senior party leader Arun Jaitley had said that in the past nine years of Modi's rule, those outside the state are divided into two distinct groups -- one who are against him and others who are praising the all-round development of the state.
"The state faced some severest criticism in the last nine years under the rule of Modi and hefty praises from the likes of Ratan Tata who said it would be foolish if you are not in Gujarat," Jaitley told a public meeting here.
