With 10th term in Bihar, Nitish Kumar among longest-serving CMs in India | Full list

Nitish, 74, will continue his nearly two-decade-long legacy in Bihar after the oath-taking ceremony on November 20.

Updated on: Nov 20, 2025, 11:41:20 IST

By HT News Desk

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As the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) forms the government in Bihar again, JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar was sworn-in as the chief minister of the state for a record 10th time on Thursday.

Nitish Kumar was elected as the leader of the NDA legislature party in Bihar on Wednesday. (HT Photo/ Santosh Kumar)

The oath-taking ceremony at the historic Gandhi Maidan in Patna took place a day after Nitish staked claim to form the next government. He was elected as the leader of the NDA legislature party in Bihar on Wednesday, while Samrat Choudhary was chosen the leader of the BJP legislature party.

The NDA registered a thumping victory in the recently concluded Assembly elections, winning 202 of the 243 seats in the Bihar Assembly elections. Nitish, 74, will continue his nearly two-decade-long legacy in Bihar with the oath-taking.

List of longest serving CMs in India

• Pawan Kumar Chamling (Sikkim) - Pawan Kumar Chamling led his party, the Sikkim Democratic Front, to five consecutive wins in the Assembly elections in the state. Being the longest serving CM of India, he served from December 12, 1994 to May 26, 2019, thus extending his tenure to 24 years and 165 days.

• Naveen Patnaik (Odisha) - Biju Janata Dal leader Naveen Patnaik served as the chief minister of Odisha for over two decades, first assuming office in 2000. His tenure ended after BJD's defeat in the Odisha Assembly elections in 2024, wherein the BJP won 78 of the 147 seats, thus securing a majority.

• Jyoti Basu (West Bengal) - Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Jyoti Basu was the chief minister of Bengal for over two decades, from June, 1977 to November, 2000. Basu, one of the founding leaders of the CPI, was the sixth and longest serving CM of Bengal, and declined the offer to become the Prime Minister of India.

• Gegong Apang (Arunachal Pradesh) - Gegong Apang was the 3rd chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh, and served as CM for nearly 23 years in two separate stints. He took office first in 1980 and continued till 1999, thereafter serving his second term from 2003 to 2007.

• Lal Thanhawla (Mizoram) - Lal Thanhawla of the Indian National Congress undertook three separate tenures as the chief minister of Mizoram. He has been one of the longest-serving Congress leaders in North East.

• Virbhadra Singh (Himachal Pradesh) - Veteran leader Virbhadra Singh of the Indian National Congress has served multiple terms as the chief minister of Himachal Pradesh, first assuming office in 1983. He is the state's longest serving CM, with his tenure extending for over two decades.

• Manik Sarkar (Tripura) - Manik Sarkar has served as the chief minister of Tripura for four consecutive terms, from March 1998 to March, 2018. He belonged to the CPI(M).

• Nitish Kumar (Bihar) - Nitish Kumar is the longest-serving chief minister of Bihar, having held office for nearly 20 years and serving multiple terms. The Janata Dal (United) leader has been the Bihar CM since 2005, except for a year's break in 2014. He is set to take oath again for a record 10th time as the chief minister of the state.

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