Will Nitish Kumar break the record of Pawan Kumar, who served as Chief Minister for 24 years? He took oath for the 10th time
Bihar Oath Ceremony 2025: Nitish Kumar took oath as Chief Minister for the 10th time on Thursday. Now the question is, will he be able to break the record of Pawan Singh Chamling, who served as Chief Minister of Sikkim for 24 years? On the occasion of the swearing-in ceremony of the Bihar government, let us find out who holds the record for the longest tenure as Chief Minister in the country? Which states have they served as Chief Ministers? When and how did they begin their political careers?
Nitish Kumar has once again been sworn in as the Chief Minister of Bihar. This is his 10th term as Chief Minister, but despite this, he will not be able to break the record of Pawan Kumar Chamling, the longest-serving Chief Minister of the country.
Let us, using Nitish Kumar, who has been sworn in as the Chief Minister of Bihar for the 10th time, understand who holds the record for the longest-serving Chief Minister in the country.
Which state did he serve as Chief Minister of? When and how did he begin his political career? We will also learn who were or are the top 10 Chief Ministers of the country who ruled for the longest time.
Former Chief Minister of Sikkim, Pawan Kumar Chamling, holds a unique record in Indian politics. He is India's longest-serving Chief Minister. He served continuously from December 12, 1994, to May 26, 2019. His total tenure was 24 years and 165 days. This record has not been broken to date.
How did a farmer's son become the voice of the people?
Pawan Kumar Chamling was born on September 22, 1950, into a modest rural family in southern Sikkim. His family was a farmer with limited resources; from childhood, he was exposed directly to farming, mountain life, and the hardships of ordinary people.
He had limited formal education, but was self-educated and had a deep interest in literature and socio-political matters. He was also a renowned Nepali poet, with numerous books and poems that have inspired him in the literary world.
He established himself in the political arena and then entered politics. Pawan Chamling began his political career with mass movements. He traveled from village to village, working with farmers, youth, and the unemployed. He consistently raised his voice against corruption, unemployment, and lack of development.
When did you reach the Assembly for the first time?
He first became a member of the Sikkim Legislative Assembly in the 1980s. Even while in power, he began to question corruption and the disconnect between the people and the political landscape. This conflict led him to form his own party. In 1993, he founded the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF).
The party emerged with the slogan of stability, development, and peace. By making the protection of the language, culture, environment, and identity of the small hill state of Sikkim its agenda, it attracted the youth and villagers.
The 1994 assembly elections proved decisive for the party. Through extensive campaigning, public meetings, foot marches, and village-to-village contact, it posed a formidable challenge to the then-ruling leadership.
When he became CM for the first time, he never looked back.
On December 12, 1994, he became the Chief Minister of Sikkim for the first time. This marked the beginning of his record-breaking journey. After 1994, his party won five consecutive assembly elections, and he became Chief Minister each time.
Remaining in power for more than 24 years in this small hill state was not easy. Improvements in road, education, health, and tourism infrastructure, relatively calm politics, and personality-driven leadership are considered key factors in this achievement.
Will Nitish Kumar be able to break Pawan Kumar's record?
Nitish Kumar ranks 8th in terms of time. Above him are leaders whose total tenures are around or more than 20 years. This means that Nitish Kumar is among the top 10 longest-serving CMs in the country.
Pawan Kumar Chamling is at number one, and Nitish is still far behind his record. Even after completing his term starting on November 20th, it is unlikely for him to reach Pawan Kumar Chamling's record under normal circumstances.
Nitish Kumar's 10th oath is a record in itself.
Nitish Kumar has been sworn in as Chief Minister nine times so far. On November 20th, he took the oath for the 10th time. This number puts him in a unique category among leaders who have taken the oath of office the most times.
However, in terms of total time, his tenure spans over 19 years. He still lags far behind Pawan Chamling (24+ years) and Naveen Patnaik (over 24 years).
This means that even after taking the oath for the 10th time, he will not be able to break Pawan Chamling's record, because this record will be determined not by the number of times he took the oath, but by the total number of years and days he held the post.
Thus, former Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling is the longest-serving Chief Minister in Indian history. Rising from poverty and mountain struggle, he ruled Sikkim for nearly 25 years from 1994 to 2019, relying on mass movements and his party. His record is unlikely to be broken in the near future.
Who are the top 10 leaders who served as Chief Ministers for the longest time?
1. Pawan Kumar Chamling (Sikkim) / 24 years 165 days
2. Naveen Patnaik (Odisha) / 24 years 99 days
3- Jyoti Basu (West Bengal) / 23 years 137 days
4- Gegong Apang (Arunachal Pradesh) / 22 years 250 days
5- Lal Thanhawla (Mizoram) / 22 years 60 days
6- Virbhadra Singh (Himachal Pradesh) / 21 years 13 days
7- Manik Sarkar (Tripura) / 19 years 363 days
8- Nitish Kumar (Bihar) / 19 years completed, 20th year ongoing
9- M. Karunanidhi (Tamil Nadu) / 18 years 362 days
10- Parkash Singh Badal (Punjab) / 18 years 350 days
(Note: There are top 10 CMs who have held the post for the longest time, but it is not necessary that all of them have held the post continuously like Pawan Kumar.)