23 years and counting: Naveen Patnaik becomes 2nd longest-serving CM

Odisha Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik, achieved a milestone in his political career on Saturday, by breaking the record of former West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu as the second longest-serving chief minister of a state in India with a tenure of 23 years and 139 days.

Patnaik, the five-time Chief Minister of Odisha, took charge on March 5, 2000, and has been holding the post for the last 23 years and 139 days. While Jyoti Basu holds office for 23 years 137 days from June 21, 1977, to November 5, 2000.

Former Chief Minister of Sikkim, Pawan Kumar Chamling still holds the record of being the longest-serving Chief Minister of the Indian State, he served the state for over 25 years from December 12, 1994, to May 26, 2019.

Naveen Patnaik started his political journey in 1997 after the demise of his father Biju Patnaik. He formed a new party on 26 December 1997 in the name of his father as a breakaway faction from Janta Dal. Patnaik also served as Union Minister of Steel and Mines from 1998 to 2000, and he was a member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) from Aska from 1997 to 2000.