Question

Which of the following politicians has served for the longest years consecutively, or otherwise, as the Chief Minister of any Indian state or Union Territory?

• A. Naveen Patnaik
• B. Virbhadra Singh
• C. Jyoti Basu
• D. Gegong Apang
• E. Pawan Kumar Chamling

Answer 1

Answer: (E)

To determine which politician has served as the Chief Minister for the longest duration, either consecutively or otherwise, let's examine each option:

1. Naveen Patnaik: He has been the Chief Minister of Odisha since March 2000. As of the current date, he has served for over 23 years continuously.
2. Virbhadra Singh: He served as the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh for six terms, but these were non-consecutive. His total tenure spans several years but does not exceed that of Naveen Patnaik or Pawan Kumar Chamling.
3. Jyoti Basu: He served as the Chief Minister of West Bengal from 1977 to 2000, totaling 23 years. This is comparable to Naveen Patnaik’s tenure.
4. Gegong Apang: He was the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh for non-consecutive terms adding up to approximately 22 years.
5. Pawan Kumar Chamling: He served as the Chief Minister of Sikkim from December 1994 to May 2019, totaling about 25 years, making him the longest-serving Chief Minister in India.

After examining the tenures of each candidate, the correct answer is Pawan Kumar Chamling, who served for approximately 25 years as the Chief Minister of Sikkim.

Pawan Kumar Chamling's extended term as the Chief Minister is notable for his significant contributions to the development of Sikkim and his record-breaking tenure.

Answer 2

Pawan Kumar Chamling served as the Chief Minister of the Indian state of Sikkim for the longest duration. Let's explore the tenure of each politician to understand this:

• Naveen Patnaik: He has been the Chief Minister of Odisha since March 2000, making his tenure significant but not the longest.
• Virbhadra Singh: Served as Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh multiple times, but his non-consecutive tenure did not surpass the others in total.
• Jyoti Basu: He was Chief Minister of West Bengal from June 1977 to November 2000, approximately 23 years.
• Gegong Apang: Served in Arunachal Pradesh with interruptions, with his accumulative years less than others listed here.
• Pawan Kumar Chamling: He was Chief Minister of Sikkim from December 1994 to May 2019, serving consecutively for approximately 25 years, the longest continuous tenure recorded in Indian states.

Therefore, the politician who served the longest as Chief Minister, in terms of consecutive years, is Pawan Kumar Chamling.