Usually, a chief minister serves for 5 years in a term right here in India, correct? Everybody knows about that, right? And after the elections, the CM changes as per the party in rule. But did you know that there are a few CMs in the history of India, who have served for literally more than two decades period? Yes, we said “Two Decades.” If that has got you intrigued already, you’d certainly like to stick with this post until the very end. And why shouldn’t you, after all, here we’re going to take a good look at the top 10 longest-term CMs in India. If that’s what you’re here for, let’s just get to it then.
1. Pawan Kumar Chamling (Sikkim: 24 Years, 165 Days)
Many of you may already know Pawan Kumar Chamling’s name, but did you know that he actually stayed CM of the Sikkim state for nearly a quarter of a century, 24 years, 165 days to be precise? Like, that’s just amazing and mind-boggling if you think about it for a sec. Like, he ruled Sikkim from 1994 to 2019 and turned it into India’s first fully organic state. From now on, this little state will live big, thanks to chemical fertilizers and pesticides. UN prizes? Oh please! Under Chamling’s able rule, Sikkim even won 2018 the Future Policy Award from the UN.
2. Naveen Patnaik (Odisha: 23+ Years)
Being CM for so long, it seems, is the cause of coolness under pressure, as Naveen Patnaik is one of a few along those lines, you know? Like, since 2000, he has been the prime minister always of Odisha, making it an international reference on disaster management. Not troubled by cyclones, sure enough, Patnaik’s planning is always complete. Just so you know though, He’s also taken millet farming back, making sure that those old-school grains are still in style.
3. Jyoti Basu (West Bengal: 23 Years, 137 Days)
Have you ever heard of a politician who converted the dream of land reforms into reality? Well, famous there was Jyoti Basu who ruled West Bengal as a Chief Minister for 23 long years, that is between 1977 and 2000, you know? Like, he actually spoke not only about farmers’ empowerment but also made them self-sufficient through land redistribution as well as rural development. Sure enough, under his chief ministership, West Bengal became a leading rice-producing state in India.
4. Gegong Apang (Arunachal Pradesh: 22 Years, 250 Days)
Next on the list, first, here’s an interesting fact: Gegong Apang was the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh for two terms, from 1980 to 1999 and again from 2003 to 2007. Making sure that the citizens of Arunachal Pradesh would have schools, roads, and hospitals that could stand to those of any so-called developed regions in India was the vision of Gegong Apang. Rarely, if ever, would you find a person of his caliber still competing in this lofty idealism, and he worked really well in this state, even from the times when visiting the nearest town was a big thing up there in Arunachal Pradesh.
5. Lal Thanhawla (Mizoram: 22 Years, 60 Days)
If states had their voices, like they were actual personalities, sure enough, Mizoram will thank Lal Thanhawla for the amazing work he has done for more than two decades of being in power. Like, Jhum cultivation, which is traditional yet not sustainable, is pushing its farmers to the edge, you know? But it is impressive here because it helped them to find more stable income sources. Besides, his five-tenure CM passage has designed policies to protect the environment and liberate the people from poverty.
6. Virbhadra Singh (Himachal Pradesh: 21 Years, 13 Days)
Just so you know, Otherwise known as “Raja Sahib,” Virbhadra Singh was a monarch who ruled the land of Himachal Pradesh amidst a grand vision that was as large as the mountains he called home. Like, across a spell of six terms in office, he ensured that even the farthest of his villages received roads, schools, and healthcare facilities. Literacy and rural development became his main focus, drawing Himachal to the map of probably India’s most developed states.
7. Manik Sarkar (Tripura: 19 Years, 363 Days)
If we had to rank politicians on this list as per how humble they are, well, Manik Sarkar would certainly be holding the first position. While almost every leader takes out his power to show off their power, Sarkar stayed not much away from leading a simple living which entailed uplifting humankind in Tripura. One would find darkness, as the track record of Sarkar’s life as chief minister for close to 20 years from 1998 to 2018, revealed that he was all about education, health care, and rural development.
8. M. Karunanidhi (Tamil Nadu: 18 Years, 362 Days)
Known as “Kalaignar,” M. Karunanidhi, for nearly two decades, the Tamil Nadu state was under his regime as the CM title. Sure enough, it was him who took the whole machinery into probably the best-performing industrial state of India, bringing with him social welfare and reservations.
9. Parkash Singh Badal (Punjab: 18 Years, 350 Days)
This fatherly figure, Parkash Singh Badal had served as Chief Minister of Punjab for five terms, you know, like, he was a farmer-friendly politician, a rural development champion, and a great believer in the autonomy of states, he ever did fight for the rights of farmers and tirelessly worked towards their financial stability in the country.
10. Yashwant Singh Parmar (Himachal Pradesh: 18 Years, 83 Days)
For all that is beautiful and progressive in modern Himachal Pradesh, the credit must go to Yashwant Singh Parmar, but why? Well, sure enough, the first chief minister of this state, Parmar, initiated transforming it from a hilly backwater to a state of prosperity. He emphasized literacy, agriculture, and infrastructure, which, thus took shape into a bright future for Himachal, which we now see.
Conclusion
There you have it. So far, these are the longest-term CMs in India and most of you may have heard of them, or at least about a few of them, right? It is pretty sure that they did some really great work on their terms and that’s why people kept on electing them. That’s how it should be.
