India's Longest-Serving Chief Ministers: From Chamling to Nitish Kumar's Tenth Term

Odisha's Naveen Patnaik, Bihar's Nitish Kumar, West Bengal's Jyoti Basu

With the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) securing a decisive victory in the Bihar Assembly elections, Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar, Bihar's longest-serving Chief Minister, is set to assume office for another term. Nitish Kumar has already served as Bihar's Chief Minister nine times, including a brief seven-day tenure in 2000 that ended due to insufficient majority support.

This impressive political career prompts an important question: who holds the distinction of being India's longest-serving chief ministers?

Here are India's ten longest-serving chief ministers:

1) Pawan Kumar Chamling, Sikkim: 24 years (December 12, 1994 - May 26, 2019)

Pawan Kumar Chamling led Sikkim with exceptional consistency for nearly 25 years. His leadership secured five consecutive electoral victories for his party, establishing him as India's longest-serving chief minister.

2) Naveen Patnaik, Odisha: 24 years (March 5, 2000 - June 12, 2024)

Naveen Patnaik first took office in 2000 and governed Odisha for over two decades. His tenure ended following the 2024 state elections when the BJP secured a decisive majority, winning 78 of 147 assembly seats, narrowly preventing him from breaking the record as India's longest-serving chief minister.

3) Jyoti Basu, West Bengal: 23 years (June 21, 1977 - November 5, 2000)

Jyoti Basu remains one of India's most esteemed statesmen. He governed West Bengal for more than two decades and earned widespread respect for his political expertise. Notably, Basu declined the opportunity to become India's Prime Minister despite being offered the position.

4) Gegong Apang, Arunachal Pradesh: 22 years (January 18, 1980 - January 19, 1999; August 3, 2003 - April 9, 2007)

A prominent figure in Arunachal Pradesh politics, Gegong Apang served as chief minister for nearly 23 years across two separate periods. His initial tenure from 1980 to 1999 established his enduring influence, which he later extended during his second term from 2003 to 2007.

5) Lal Thanhawla, Mizoram: 22 years (May 5, 1984 - August 21, 1986; January 24, 1989 - December 3, 1998; December 11, 2008 - December 15, 2018)

Lal Thanhawla, a senior Indian politician from Mizoram, served multiple terms as the state's Chief Minister across three distinct periods. Throughout his leadership, Thanhawla prioritized improvements to Mizoram's road networks, healthcare facilities, and educational institutions.

6) Virbhadra Singh, Himachal Pradesh: 21 years (April 8, 1983 - March 5, 1990; December 3, 1993 - March 24, 1998; March 6, 2003 - December 30, 2007; December 25, 2012 - December 27, 2017)

Virbhadra Singh, an Indian National Congress veteran, served multiple terms as Himachal Pradesh's Chief Minister, becoming the state's longest-serving CM with more than two decades in office.

7) Manik Sarkar, Tripura: 19 years (March 11, 1998 - March 9, 2018)

Manik Sarkar completed four consecutive terms as Tripura's Chief Minister, holding office from 1998 to 2018.

8) Nitish Kumar, Bihar: 19 years (March 3 - 11, 2000; November 24, 2005 - May 20, 2014; February 2, 2015 - Present)

Nitish Kumar has earned the distinction of being Bihar's longest-serving Chief Minister, governing for nearly 20 years across multiple terms.

9) M Karunanidhi, Tamil Nadu: 18 years (February 10, 1969 - January 31, 1976; January 27, 1989 - January 30, 1991; May 13, 1996 - May 14, 2001; May 13, 2006 - May 16, 2011)

M Karunanidhi, born Muthuvel Karunanidhi, served multiple terms as Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister, creating an enduring legacy in the state's political landscape.

10) Parkash Singh Badal, Punjab: 18 years (March 27, 1970 - June 14, 1971; June 20, 1977 - February 17, 1980; February 12, 1997 - February 26, 2002; March 1, 2007 - March 16, 2017)

Parkash Singh Badal served several terms as Punjab's Chief Minister and holds the distinction of having been the country's youngest CM.