Anandiben Patel was sworn in as the first ever woman Chief Minister of Gujarat on May 22, 2014. (File photo)
Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, who has been at the helm after her predecessor and now Prime Minister Narendra Modi handed her the charge in 2014, today completed two years in office.
Ms Patel was sworn in as the first ever woman Chief Minister of Gujarat on May 22, 2014, after then Chief Minister Narendra Modi vacated the office to become country's Prime Minister.
"I am ever-so-grateful for having got the opportunity to serve 'Land of Legends' in the capacity of a Chief Minister. Jay Jay Garvi Gujarat!," Ms Patel tweeted.
"As I complete 2 years in office as the CM, I assure people of Gujarat that development of our state will remain 'Gatisheel' in days to come.
"I bow down to the people of Gujarat & express my gratitude for the love & affection showered upon me over the years," she further tweeted.
Some of the biggest challenges she faced during her tenure include the Patel quota stir and subsequent defeat of BJP in district and taluka panchayat polls held recently.
Ms Patel admitted that she too faced several challenges during her tenure but maintained that no leader can have the luxury of a smooth sail.
"Show me a single CM or PM who have not faced challenges in their tenures. Challenges are inevitable. We face challenges from different quarters, including from home and from community. It is too optimistic to think that everything will be smooth all the time," she told reporters in Gandhinagar.
Meanwhile, in her blog, Ms Patel remembered her humble background and her journey from a small village in north Gujarat to the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) in Swarnim Sankul complex.
"When I took over the legacy from our PM Narendrabhai Modi, it was with a strong resolve to take Gujarat on its continued march. My own journey from native Kharod village to the hallowed Swarnim Sankul has taught me many things and allowed me to interact with and observe people closely," she said.
74-year-old Patel, who served as Revenue Minister in the then Modi-led Gujarat government before becoming the Chief Minister, also admitted that it is indeed challenging to make everyone happy.
"To fulfil the aspirations of 6.5 crore people is a daunting task, and we are all going about this with sensitivity and strength of purpose that becomes stronger with every passing day," she added in her blog.
In her blog too, Ms Patel hinted that there is a lot to be done despite the challenges.
"As a poet would say, 'Many roads have been travelled, destinations reached, and many more pathways to discover' which means that much has been achieved, but there is a lot to complete.
"Yes, there are challenges which we shall overcome, new arenas of development that we shall achieve, but every destination is a milestone that will take us far" Ms Patel said.