Vijay Rupani was speaking to the media soon after announcing his resignation.
Gujarat's development must go ahead under new leadership, the BJP's Vijay Rupani said on Saturday, moments after his unexpected resignation as Chief Minister of the state.
"I believe that the journey of Gujarat's development should go ahead under new leadership, with new excitement and new energy. Keeping this in mind, I have resigned as Chief Minister Of Gujarat," he said in a statement to the media.
"I am grateful that a party worker like me was given the important chance to serve as the Chief Minister of Gujarat," Mr Rupani said.
"I had the guidance of the honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi throughout my term. Under his guidance, Gujarat's progress has touched new highs. I am grateful to the honourable Prime Minister for the opportunity to contribute to the state's development," he added.
"As a party of organisation and ideology, it has been the BJP's tradition that the responsibility given to workers keeps changing. All party workers fulfil whatever responsibility they get with utmost devotion. After stepping down as Chief Minister, I have expressed to work for the party," Mr Rupani said.
"Whatever responsibility I am given next, I want to fulfil that under the leadership of the Prime Minister and the national party chief," he added.
Mr Rupani did not explain what prompted sudden the resignation in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state where elections to the 182-member Assembly are due more than a year later, in December next year.
Mr Rupani, 65, was sworn in as chief minister - his second stint in the role - in December 2017.
Besides him, his state cabinet colleagues Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, Bhupndrasinh Chudasama and Pradeepsinh Jadeja met the governor and submitted their resignations.
He denied that he had any differences with state BJP president C R Paatil.
Mr Rupani, who comes from the Jain community which has around two per cent population in the state, first became the chief minister on August 7, 2016, following the resignation of incumbent Anandiben Patel, and continued in the office after the BJP's victory in the 2017 Assembly elections.
Mr Rupani, who completed five years in office on August 7 this year, was present at the inauguration on Saturday of Sardardham Bhavan where PM Modi was present virtually.
(With inputs from PTI)