Ahmedabad, Oct 7: Narendra Modi today completed a decade in office as Chief Minister of Gujarat, travelling a long way from what he had himself termed as a one-day match to a much longer political innings in the state and now eyeing a much bigger role in national politics.
The ten-year rule of Modi is marked by tumultuous events in Gujarat politics during which he came under severe all-round criticism for his government's handling of 2002 post-Godhra riots just five months after he took over the post and tried to live down that image by sustained economic development of the state.
When Modi took over as chief minister on October 7, 2001, replacing BJP veteran Keshubhai Patel, he had not fought any elections earlier and was a lesser known figure outside party circles where he had held important positions like being the national general secretary of the party.
After he came to power, he had said that he was there to play a one-day match as state assembly elections were due in about a year's time.
His administration has also been charged with vindictive actions against all those, including state IPS officers, who had spoken against his government on the issue of 2002 riots. The Modi administration also courted a series of major controversies for fake police encounter killing of Soharabuddin Sheikh and murder of his wife Kausar Bi in which former state junior home minister Amit Shah and 14 other cops are accused.
Modi, using his political acumen, oratory skills, focus on development, tight control over bureaucracy and image of a politician free from corruption, has been able to turn adversities into advantages successfully leading his party to victory in successive elections at all levels in the state. PTI
