Naveen now 2nd longest-serving CM; Chamling 1st, Jyoti Basu 3rd

BHUBANESWAR: Adding another feather to his cap, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday became the second longest-serving Chief Minister in India.

He broke the record set by former West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu on Sunday after completing 23 years and 139 days as Chief Minister of Odisha. Jyoti Basu served as the Chief Minister of West Bengal from June 21, 1977 to November 5, 2000, which comes to 23 years, 138 days.

Pawan Kumar Chamling, the former Chief Minister of Sikkim, is the longest-serving Chief Minister after independence. Chamling served as CM of Sikkim from December 12, 1994 to May 27, 2019. Chamling held the position for an impressive 24 years and 166 days. Basu, who was the longest serving Chief Minister in India until Chamling surpassed him in 2018, now comes to third position in the list.

Naveen Patnaik is also the third Chief Minister after Pawan Chamling and Jyoti Basu to win five consecutive terms as CM. “Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has surpassed late Jyoti Basu to set the record. It is a matter of pride for all of us. I am sure he will break the record of another person after winning the 2024 election for the sixth consecutive time,” said BJD MLA Raj Kishore Das.

Congratulating the Chief Minister on Twitter, senior BJD leader and Rajya Sabha MP Manas Mangaraj said, “A towering personality full of simplicity, humble and always down to earth yet strong and decisive leader, our Hon'ble @CMO_Odisha took charge as the Chief Minister of #Odisha on 5th March 2000 and continues to lead the State.”

During these 23 years of leadership, Patnaik has brought revolutionary changes in the fields of health, education, economy and job opportunities in the state, he said. IANS

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