New Delhi/Gandhinagar, Jan 20 (IANS): Gujarat's first woman Chief Minister Anandiben Patel has been appointed as Governor of Madhya Pradesh, an official statement said on Friday.

"President Ram nath Kovind has been pleased to appoint Anandiben Patel, to be the Governor of Madhya Pradesh with effect from the date she assumes charge of her office," an official communique from the President's office said.

Gujarat BJP spokesperson Bharat Pandya described the appointment "as a matter of pride for Gujarat" and said that Patel was the first woman Governor from thje state.

"She is daughter of a farmer, who went on to become the first woman Chief Minister of Gujarat and now the first woman Governor from the state. This indeed is a moment of pride for Gujarat," Pandya tweeted.

The post of Madhya Pradesh Governor was vacant and Gujarat Governor O.P. Kohli was assigned the charge till now.

Anandiben Patel had stepped down as Chief Minister in August 2016 citing overage as the reason. During the 2017 state assembly elections, she had refused to contest, and it was believed the BJP would assign her a larger role in politics.

She will be the second Gujarat Minister from the BJP to have been made a Governor. Earlier, Vajubhai Vala, a former BJP MLA from Gujarat, was made Governor of Karnataka.

Madhya Pradesh will see state assembly elections this year and Patel might have been assigned the role by the party high command keeping the forthcoming polls in mind.