Ahmedabad:Vijay Rupani today said he will “try to make Gujarat a model state for the entire country”, after his name was announced as the new Chief Minister of Gujarat replacing Anandiben Patel.

He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP’s parliamentary board for considering him worthy of a “huge responsibility.”

Addressing a press conference with the Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Rupani said he and Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel will responsibly carry forward the pace of the “politics of development,” the tone of which was set by the Prime Minister Modi and the incumbent Chief Minister Anandiben Patel.

“Nitinbhai and I, we are thankful to the national president (Amit Shah), Prime Minister Narendra Modi, parliamentary board and party leadership for giving us such a huge responsibility.

“We will take forward the slogan of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ given by Narendrabhai Modi and together fight the coming 2017 elections. We will try to make Gujarat a model state for the entire country through the politics of development, the pace of which has been set by Narendra Modi and Anandiben Patel,” he said.

In his series of tweets he said: Humbled and honoured at the opportunity to serve the state of Gujarat and work for the welfare and all-round development of the state. I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah for reposing faith in a humble karyakarta like me and giving me this opportunity. Would like to profusely appreciate the leadership of Anandiben Patel, who led Gujarat and enriched the development journey of the state. Team Gujarat is fully committed to harnessing aspirations of poor, marginalized, farmers and youngsters in the efforts for transforming India.

With inputs from PTI