Narendra Modi completes 23 years of 'Seva'; recalls the days in Gujarat and praises the Congress

In his message, he acknowledged the support and blessings the Prime Minister had received over the years and highlighted the crucial role played by his party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in handing him the leadership.

“A heartfelt thank you goes to everyone who sent me their blessings and good wishes after 23 years as head of government. On October 7, 2001, I took charge as Chief Minister of Gujarat “It was the greatness of my party @BJP4India to give the responsibility of running the state administration to a humble karyakarta like me,” said Prime Minister Modi.

Modi's political career rose to prominence when he became the chief minister of Gujarat in 2001, a position he held until 2014. During his tenure in Gujarat, he was praised for his model of governance which focused on: economic developmentInfrastructure and industrial growth.

“When I took office as CM, Gujarat was facing numerous challenges – the 2001 Kutch earthquake, a super cyclone before that, a massive drought and the legacy of decades of Congress misrule such as looting, communalism and casteism,” Modi wrote.

“Driven by Jana Shakti, we rebuilt Gujarat and took it to new heights of progress, even in a sector like agriculture, for which the state was not traditionally known.”

During his 13-year tenure as Prime Minister, Modi highlighted how Gujarat emerged as a model of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' and ensured prosperity for all sections of society.

In 2014, Modi was elected prime minister with a historic mandate, giving the BJP a full majority for the first time in 30 years. Looking back on his decade as prime minister, he highlighted important milestones.

Prime Minister Modi said in his contribution, “Over 25 million people have been lifted out of the clutches of poverty. India has become the fifth largest economy and this has particularly helped our MSMEs, start-up sector and more.”

The top BJP leader also highlighted the progress made in empowering farmers, women, youth and marginalized sections of society and India's increasing global importance.

“India's development progress has ensured that our country is viewed with utmost optimism around the world. The world is interested in working with us, investing in our people and being part of our success.”

He reiterated India's commitment to addressing global challenges such as climate change, healthcare and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While Modi acknowledged the achievements of the last two decades, he stressed that there is still a lot to be done.

“I assure my fellow Indians that I will work tirelessly and more vigorously in the service of the people. I will not rest until our shared goal of Viksit Bharat is realized,” he said.