Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has become the second longest serving Chief Minister in India equaling the record of late Jyoti Basu, the former Chief Minister of West Bengal. Naveen took charge as the Chief Minister of Odisha on 5th March 2000 and continues to lead the state. As of today, he has been the Chief Minister of the state for 23 years and 138 days, which is equal to late Jyoti Basu’s tenure as chief minister of West Bengal.
The political journey of Naveen Patnaik started in 1997. He became the Chief Minister of Odisha for the first time in the year 2000 and from that day, he has been serving as the leader of the state uninterruptedly. Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling tops the list of longest serving Chief Ministers with 24 years 166 days.
During this more than 23 years of leadership, CM Naveen Patnaik has brought revolutionary changes in the state’s economic, educational, Health, and food security areas. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Odisha has seen a new dawn of industrialization. The state has been the second highest foreign investment destination in the country. The strong leadership of the Biju Janata Dal supremo and a stable government are responsible for the uninterrupted development of Odisha. The welfare programs of Naveen government have been the guiding principles for national programs and schemes.