PM Modi Celebrates 23 Years Since Taking Office as Gujarat CM

Today marks 23 years since Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed the role of Chief Minister of Gujarat, a pivotal moment for both the state and the nation.

On Monday, the Modi Archive, which chronicles the Prime Minister’s journey through archival images, videos, and audio clips, shared a retrospective glimpse of Modi from that era. The post stated, “Today is the historic day when @narendramodi took office as Chief Minister of Gujarat 23 years ago. This event was not only a turning point for Gujarat but for India as well. However, the story of how Narendra Modi became Gujarat’s Chief Minister is not widely known.”

Highlighting this milestone in Modi’s distinguished career, the post provided context about his life leading up to this moment. By 2001, Modi had already dedicated three decades to public service. From his beginnings as a grassroots RSS pracharak to becoming a prominent BJP figure, he had steadily positioned himself as a strong leadership candidate. The post noted that few recognized at the time that this 51-year-old BJP National General Secretary, who began his political journey as a ward secretary for the Jan Sangh in 1965, was on the verge of making history.

Known affectionately as “NaMo,” Modi had been instrumental in transforming the BJP into a powerful entity in Gujarat. As the state’s BJP organizing secretary, his relentless efforts helped the party penetrate traditional Congress strongholds—a remarkable achievement given that the BJP had been nearly invisible in the region. In 1984, the party had just one Member of Parliament from Gujarat, A. K. Patel from Mehsana.

The post concluded by reflecting on a critical turning point in Modi’s political career: “In 1985, when Modi was tasked by the RSS to work with the BJP, it marked a significant juncture. His political insight and determination played a crucial role in establishing the BJP as a serious challenger to Congress. #23YearsOfSeva”