Ahmedabad, Oct 5 (PTI) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Tuesday expressed his gratitude to people for the BJP"s win in the Gujarat Municipal Corporation and other local body polls, which he said was an opportunity for him to meet people"s expectations, and also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for reposing faith in him. After celebrating the victory at the Gujarat BJP headquarters "Kamalam" in Gandhinagar, state BJP chief C R Paatil said the victory shows that citizens stand firmly with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He dubbed the new entrant Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as only a "thunder without rain," and asserted that there is "no place for a third party in Gujarat". The GMC poll was being seen as a litmus test for the BJP in the backdrop of its sudden and surprising decision to change the state"s chief minister and the entire cabinet recently, ahead of the state Assembly polls due next year. The party had registered a thumping win in the local bodies polls held in February this year. On Tuesday, the ruling BJP retained the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation (GMC) by winning 41 of the total total 44 seats, while the Congress got two seats and the AAP bagged one seat. The BJP also won the Thara municipality poll in Banaskantha district and retained Okha municipality in Devbhumi-Dwarka district. But, it lost to the Congress in Devbhumi-Dwarka district"s Bhanvad municipality, where the saffron party had been in power in since 1995. Talking to reporters after celebrating the victory with party workers, CM Bhupendra Patel said Prime Minister Modi reposed trust in him, and the victory was an opportunity for him and his team to meet the people"s expectations. He said the BJP is a party which always works in coordination with the elected representatives. "Before becoming the chief minister, I would come to Gandhinagar for the work of (Union minister) Amit bhai (Shah). Amit bhai worried about the poor people, and would hold meetings ward-wise for those who did not get ration," he said. "PM Modi has reposed trust in me. I express my gratitude to the people for the BJP"s victory in Gandhinagar and local bodies in other parts of Gujarat and my team and I will work in coordination with the party chief to meet their expectations," he added. On the occasion, state BJP chief Paatil said media must have seen how the BJP workers established a connection with the people and stood by them during the COVID-19 pandemic and even in other normal circumstances. "Because of this, BJP members registered a grand victory in Gandhinagar (municipal corporation) and other local bodies in Gujarat," Paatil said. He said the AAP was only a "thunder without rain", and the results prove that the state"s people have rejected the Arvind Kejriwal-led party. "There is no place for a third party in Gujarat," he added. He said the "historic result once more proves that people of Gujarat completely trust Narendra Modi". "Voters of Gujarat have once again given the power of Gandhinagar to the BJP, and the party will fulfill all promises made to the people. The BJP will work in coordination with the government for the development of Gandhinagar," he said. Paatil also credited Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the BJP"s win in these polls. He said Shah"s connection with the people of the state capital and his inclination to serve the people of his Lok Sabha constituency Gandhinagar also helped the party reap benefits in the local body poll. Paatil also thanked former chief minister Vijay Rupani and said the works done by his government played an important part in the victory. PTI KA GK GK