Bihar’s longest-serving Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar, has achieved a significant milestone, being sworn in for a record 10th term on Thursday. This latest stint extends his run to approximately 19 years in office, officially breaking him into the national top-10 list of longest-serving heads of government in India.
The 74-year-old leader, who has earned the nickname ‘Paltu Ram’ for his frequent political shifts but is also known as ‘Sushashan Babu’ (Man of Good Governance), assumed office in a grand swearing-in ceremony in Patna. The event was attended by top leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
Born in Bakhtiyarpur in 1951, Kumar began his political journey during the JP Movement and secured his first electoral victory in 1985. Now, he joins the ranks of national stalwarts who have dominated the position for decades.
Bihar’s longest-serving Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar, has achieved a significant milestone, being sworn in for a record 10th term on Thursday. This latest stint extends his run to approximately 19 years in office, officially breaking him into the national top-10 list of longest-serving heads of government in India.
The 74-year-old leader, who has earned the nickname ‘Paltu Ram’ for his frequent political shifts but is also known as ‘Sushashan Babu’ (Man of Good Governance), assumed office in a grand swearing-in ceremony in Patna. The event was attended by top leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
Born in Bakhtiyarpur in 1951, Kumar began his political journey during the JP Movement and secured his first electoral victory in 1985. Now, he joins the ranks of national stalwarts who have dominated the position for decades.
India’s Top 10 Longest-Serving Chief Ministers
The list of India’s most enduring Chief Ministers is dominated by regional giants, with Nitish Kumar Longest-Serving CM of Bihar joining the elite club:
| Rank | Chief Minister | State | Total Tenure (Approx.) | Key Terms |
| 1 | Pawan Kumar Chamling | Sikkim | Over 25 years | Dec 1994 – May 2019 (Continuous) |
| 2 | Naveen Patnaik | Odisha | Over 24 years | Mar 2000 – Jun 2024 (Continuous) |
| 3 | Jyoti Basu | West Bengal | Over 23 years | Jun 1977 – Nov 2000 (Continuous) |
| 4 | Gegong Apang | Arunachal Pradesh | Over 22 years | Multiple terms (1980–1999; 2003–2007) |
| 5 | Lal Thanhawla | Mizoram | Over 22 years | Multiple terms (1984–2018) |
| 6 | Virbhadra Singh | Himachal Pradesh | Over 21 years | Multiple terms (1983–2017) |
| 7 | Manik Sarkar | Tripura | Over 19 years | Mar 1998 – Mar 2018 (Continuous) |
| 8 | Nitish Kumar | Bihar | About 19 Years | Multiple terms (2000; 2005–2014; 2015–2025) |
| 9 | M Karunanidhi | Tamil Nadu | Over 18 years | Multiple terms (1969–2011) |
| 10 | Parkash Singh Badal | Punjab | Over 18 years | Multiple terms (1970–2017) |
Nitish Kumar Longest-Serving CM of Bihar solidifies his place in history with this latest swearing-in, underscoring the enduring influence of regional leaders in India’s political system.
End…..
