Nitish Kumar set for record 10th term: These are India's longest-serving CMs

In January 2024, Nitish last took the oath as Chief Minister when the JD(U) switched to the NDA.

Nitish Kumar is set to be sworn in as Bihar's Chief Minister for a record 10th time on Thursday, cementing his record of being the longest serving chief minister of the state.

Along with him, 19 ministers are expected to take oaths. The ceremony will be held in Patna’s Gandhi Maidan.

In January 2024, Nitish last took the oath as Chief Minister when the JD(U) switched to the NDA.

The state has till now seen 18 elections, 8 President's rule and 24 chief ministers. Nitish Kumar is the longest serving Bihar CM as he has been in the top office for more than 18 years now.

He has been the CM of Bihar since 2005, except for about a year’s break in 2014.

Here is a list of ten longest serving CMs of India.

Pawan Kumar Chamling (Sikkim) – 24 years

Pawan Kumar Chamling holds the record for the longest-serving Chief Minister in India. He was first sworn in on December 12, 1994, and governed Sikkim continuously until May 27, 2019.

Jyoti Basu (West Bengal) – 23 years

Jyoti Basu served as the Chief Minister of West Bengal from June 21, 1977, to November 6, 2000.

Gegong Apang (Arunachal Pradesh) – 22 years

Gegong Apang served as the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh for over 22 years across different terms.

Lal Thanhawla (Mizoram) – 21 years

Lal Thanhawla’s long tenure as the Chief Minister of Mizoram spanned multiple terms from 1984 to 2018.

Virbhadra Singh (Himachal Pradesh) – 21 years

Virbhadra Singh’s tenure as the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh was spread across six terms.

Manik Sarkar (Tripura) – 19 years

Manik Sarkar served as the Chief Minister of Tripura from March 11, 1998, to March 9, 2018.

Naveen Patnaik (Odisha) – 24 years

Naveen Patnaik served as the 14th Chief Minister of Odisha from 5 March 2000 to 12 June 2024.

M Karunanidhi (Tamil Nadu) – 18 years

M Karunanidhi served as the Chief Minister across five terms between 1969 and 2011.

Yashwant Singh Parmar (Himachal Pradesh) – 18 years

Yashwant Singh Parmar, the architect of modern Himachal Pradesh, served as its first Chief Minister.

Parkash Singh Badal (Punjab) – 17 years

Parkash Singh Badal, a key figure in Punjab’s politics, served as the Chief Minister for multiple terms.

Nitish Kumar’s swearing-in ceremony will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP national president J P Nadda and several other top leaders of NDA. The event will also be attended by chief ministers of several NDA-ruled states.