Narendra Modi leaves for Delhi; bids goodbye to Gujarat

Ahmedabad, May 22: Prime Minister-designate

on Thursday left for New

after finally bidding adieu to

saying, "Aavjo (goodbye) Gujarat'.

"When I am leaving for Delhi, as per our tradition, I would like to say 'Aavjo' to 6.25 crore people... 'Aavjo Gujarat (goodbye Gujarat)," Modi said at the airport before leaving for New Delhi.

The ex-chief minister will be sworn in as the Prime Minister on May 26, after he led his party to a resounding victory in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Modi also thanked media persons of Gujarat before the departure.

"I would like to thank all the media persons, be it reporters of television channel, print media, editors, columnists, from the bottom of my heart for their cooperation in the last 13 years. I am hopeful that we will continue to work for development of Gujarat and India," Modi said.

Modi completed all his tasks in Gujarat like resigning from the post of the Chief Minister and MLA and giving the state a new chief minister in form of Anandiben Patel before leaving for Delhi.

Modi had been Chief Minister of Gujarat from October 7, 2001.

PTI