Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on October 7, commemorated the 25th anniversary of his oath of office as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, reflecting on the significant journey he has undertaken since 2001. In a series of posts on X, he expressed heartfelt gratitude to the citizens of India for their ongoing support.
“On this day in 2001, I took oath as Gujarat’s chief minister for the first time. Thanks to the continuous blessings of my fellow Indians, I am entering my 25th year of serving as the head of a government,” Modi stated, accompanying his message with photographs from his tenure.
Born on September 17, 1950, in Mehsana, Gujarat, Modi served as Chief Minister for three consecutive terms from 2001 to 2014 before becoming the Prime Minister in 2014. In his posts, he remarked, “My gratitude to the people of India. Through all these years, it has been my constant endeavor to improve the lives of our people and contribute to the progress of this great nation.”
He recounted the challenging circumstances under which he assumed leadership as Gujarat’s Chief Minister in 2001, during a period marked by a significant earthquake, a super cyclone, successive droughts, and political instability. Modi expressed that these challenges fortified his determination to serve the populace and rejuvenate Gujarat.
Furthermore, he recalled advice from his mother at the commencement of his political career. “When I took oath as Chief Minister, I remember my Mother telling me – I do not have much understanding of your work, but I only seek two things. First, you will always work for the poor, and second, you will never take a bribe. I also told people that whatever I do will be driven by the intention to serve the very last person in the queue.”
Modi was appointed as Chief Minister on October 7, 2001, succeeding Keshubhai Patel after the earthquake led to a shift in leadership. He ultimately became the longest-serving Chief Minister of Gujarat before being designated as the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) prime ministerial candidate for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, during which the party secured a landslide victory.
After the election, Modi was sworn in as India’s 14th Prime Minister on May 26, 2014. He received a second term following another electoral triumph on May 30, 2019. On June 9, 2019, Modi made history by being sworn in for a record third consecutive term, a feat previously achieved only by Jawaharlal Nehru.
