List of longest-serving Indian chief ministers
Updated: 12/11/2025, 1:53:19 PM Wikipedia source
The chief minister is the chief executive of the Indian state. In accordance with the Constitution of India, the governor is a state's de jure head, but de facto executive authority rests with the chief minister. Following elections to the legislative assembly, the state's governor usually invites the party (or coalition) with a majority of seats to form the government. The governor appoints the chief minister, whose council of ministers are collectively responsible to the assembly. Given that he has the confidence of the assembly, the chief minister's term is for five years and is subject to no term limits. Here listed are the chief ministers who have served for more than 10 years in office. As of 11 December 2025, 46 chief ministers have served for more than 10 years; of these, only four have been female chief ministers are there. The chief ministers from the states of Jharkhand, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand have not served for 10 years in office or more, and currently there are five chief ministers who are incumbents and continue to serve. The longest-serving chief minister of the Republic of India is former chief minister of Sikkim Pawan Kumar Chamling of the Sikkim Democratic Front, who served from 12 December 1994 to 26 May 2019 for 24 years and 165 days. Nitish Kumar of Bihar has serving current longer serving for the most terms (ten).
Tables
· List
Pawan Kumar Chamling
Pawan Kumar Chamling
#
1
Name
Pawan Kumar Chamling
State/UT
Sikkim
Term of office
12 December 1994
Term of office
26 May 2019
Term of office
24 years, 165 days
Political party
Sikkim Democratic Front
Naveen Patnaik
Naveen Patnaik
#
2
Name
Naveen Patnaik
State/UT
Odisha
Term of office
5 March 2000
Term of office
12 June 2024
Term of office
24 years, 99 days
Political party
Biju Janata Dal
Jyoti Basu
Jyoti Basu
#
3
Name
Jyoti Basu
State/UT
West Bengal
Term of office
21 June 1977
Term of office
5 November 2000
Term of office
23 years, 137 days
Political party
Communist Party of India (Marxist)
Gegong Apang
Gegong Apang
#
4
Name
Gegong Apang
State/UT
Arunachal Pradesh
Term of office
18 January 1980
Term of office
19 January 1999
Term of office
22 years, 250 days
Political party
Indian National Congress
United Democratic Front
United Democratic Front
#
3 August 2003
Name
United Democratic Front
Lal Thanhawla
Lal Thanhawla
#
5
Name
Lal Thanhawla
State/UT
Mizoram
Term of office
5 May 1984
Term of office
21 August 1986
Term of office
22 years, 60 days
Political party
Indian National Congress
Virbhadra Singh
Virbhadra Singh
#
6
Name
Virbhadra Singh
State/UT
Himachal Pradesh
Term of office
8 April 1983
Term of office
5 March 1990
Term of office
21 years, 13 days
Political party
Indian National Congress
Manik Sarkar
Manik Sarkar
#
7
Name
Manik Sarkar
State/UT
Tripura
Term of office
11 March 1998
Term of office
9 March 2018
Term of office
19 years, 363 days
Political party
Communist Party of India (Marxist)
Nitish Kumar
Nitish Kumar
#
8
Name
Nitish Kumar
State/UT
Bihar
Term of office
3 March 2000
Term of office
10 March 2000
Term of office
19 years, 112 days
Political party
Samta Party
Janata Dal (United)
Janata Dal (United)
#
24 November 2005
Name
Janata Dal (United)
M. Karunanidhi
M. Karunanidhi
#
9
Name
M. Karunanidhi
State/UT
Tamil Nadu
Term of office
10 February 1969
Term of office
31 January 1976
Term of office
18 years, 362 days
Political party
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
Parkash Singh Badal
Parkash Singh Badal
#
10
Name
Parkash Singh Badal
State/UT
Punjab
Term of office
27 March 1970
Term of office
14 June 1971
Term of office
18 years, 350 days
Political party
Shiromani Akali Dal
Neiphiu Rio
Neiphiu Rio
#
11
Name
Neiphiu Rio
State/UT
Nagaland
Term of office
6 March 2003
Term of office
3 January 2008
Term of office
18 years, 289 days
Political party
Naga People's Front
Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party & Naga People's Front
Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party & Naga People's Front
#
8 March 2018
Name
Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party & Naga People's Front
Yashwant Singh Parmar
Yashwant Singh Parmar
#
12
Name
Yashwant Singh Parmar
State/UT
Himachal Pradesh
Term of office
8 March 1952
Term of office
31 October 1956
Term of office
18 years, 83 days
Political party
Indian National Congress
Shri Krishna Sinha
Shri Krishna Sinha
#
13
Name
Shri Krishna Sinha
State/UT
Bihar
Term of office
20 July 1937
Term of office
31 October 1939
Term of office
17 years, 51 days
Political party
Indian National Congress
Shivraj Singh Chouhan
Shivraj Singh Chouhan
#
14
Name
Shivraj Singh Chouhan
State/UT
Madhya Pradesh
Term of office
29 November 2005
Term of office
17 December 2018
Term of office
16 years, 284 days
Political party
Bharatiya Janata Party
Mohan Lal Sukhadia
Mohan Lal Sukhadia
#
15
Name
Mohan Lal Sukhadia
State/UT
Rajasthan
Term of office
13 November 1954
Term of office
13 March 1967
Term of office
16 years, 194 days
Political party
Indian National Congress
N. Rangaswamy
N. Rangaswamy
#
16
Name
N. Rangaswamy
State/UT
Puducherry
Term of office
27 October 2001
Term of office
4 September 2008
Term of office
16 years, 187 days
Political party
Indian National Congress
All India N.R. Congress
All India N.R. Congress
#
16 May 2011
Name
All India N.R. Congress
Pratapsingh Rane
Pratapsingh Rane
#
17
Name
Pratapsingh Rane
State/UT
Goa
Term of office
16 January 1980
Term of office
27 March 1990
Term of office
15 years, 325 days
Political party
Indian National Congress
S. C. Jamir
S. C. Jamir
#
18
Name
S. C. Jamir
State/UT
Nagaland
Term of office
18 April 1980
Term of office
5 June 1980
Term of office
15 years, 151 days
Political party
United Democratic Front-Progressive
Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
#
25 January 1989
Name
Indian National Congress
N. Chandrababu Naidu
N. Chandrababu Naidu
#
19
Name
N. Chandrababu Naidu
State/UT
Andhra Pradesh
Term of office
1 September 1995
Term of office
14 May 2004
Term of office
15 years, 61 days
Political party
Telugu Desam Party
Sheila Dikshit
Sheila Dikshit
#
20
Name
Sheila Dikshit
State/UT
National Capital Territory of Delhi
Term of office
3 December 1998
Term of office
28 December 2013
Term of office
15 years, 25 days
Political party
Indian National Congress
Raman Singh
Raman Singh
#
21
Name
Raman Singh
State/UT
Chhattisgarh
Term of office
7 December 2003
Term of office
17 December 2018
Term of office
15 years, 10 days
Political party
Bharatiya Janata Party
Okram Ibobi Singh
Okram Ibobi Singh
#
22
Name
Okram Ibobi Singh
State/UT
Manipur
Term of office
7 March 2002
Term of office
15 March 2017
Term of office
15 years, 8 days
Political party
Indian National Congress
Tarun Gogoi
Tarun Gogoi
#
23
Name
Tarun Gogoi
State/UT
Assam
Term of office
18 May 2001
Term of office
24 May 2016
Term of office
15 years, 6 days
Political party
Indian National Congress
Ashok Gehlot
Ashok Gehlot
#
24
Name
Ashok Gehlot
State/UT
Rajasthan
Term of office
1 December 1998
Term of office
8 December 2003
Term of office
15 years, 6 days
Political party
Indian National Congress
Zoramthanga
Zoramthanga
#
25
Name
Zoramthanga
State/UT
Mizoram
Term of office
3 December 1998
Term of office
11 December 2008
Term of office
15 years, 0 days
Political party
Mizo National Front
Williamson A. Sangma
Williamson A. Sangma
#
26
Name
Williamson A. Sangma
State/UT
Meghalaya
Term of office
2 April 1970
Term of office
10 March 1978
Term of office
14 years, 221 days
Political party
All Party Hill Leaders Conference
Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
#
7 May 1981
Name
Indian National Congress
Mamata Banerjee
Mamata Banerjee
#
27
Name
Mamata Banerjee
State/UT
West Bengal
Term of office
20 May 2011
Term of office
Incumbent
Term of office
14 years, 205 days
Political party
Trinamool Congress
Bidhan Chandra Roy
Bidhan Chandra Roy
#
28
Name
Bidhan Chandra Roy
State/UT
West Bengal
Term of office
23 January 1948
Term of office
1 July 1962
Term of office
14 years, 159 days
Political party
Indian National Congress
J. Jayalalithaa
J. Jayalalithaa
#
29
Name
J. Jayalalithaa
State/UT
Tamil Nadu
Term of office
24 June 1991
Term of office
12 May 1996
Term of office
14 years, 124 days
Political party
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
Nar Bahadur Bhandari
Nar Bahadur Bhandari
#
30
Name
Nar Bahadur Bhandari
State/UT
Sikkim
Term of office
18 October 1979
Term of office
11 May 1984
Term of office
13 years, 277 days
Political party
Sikkim Janata Parishad
Sikkim Sangram Parishad
Sikkim Sangram Parishad
#
8 March 1985
Name
Sikkim Sangram Parishad
Janaki Ballabh Patnaik
Janaki Ballabh Patnaik
#
31
Name
Janaki Ballabh Patnaik
State/UT
Odisha
Term of office
9 June 1980
Term of office
7 December 1989
Term of office
13 years, 155 days
Political party
Indian National Congress
Bimala Prasad Chaliha
Bimala Prasad Chaliha
#
32
Name
Bimala Prasad Chaliha
State/UT
Assam
Term of office
28 December 1957
Term of office
11 November 1970
Term of office
12 years, 318 days
Political party
Indian National Congress
Narendra Modi
Narendra Modi
#
33
Name
Narendra Modi
State/UT
Gujarat
Term of office
7 October 2001
Term of office
22 May 2014
Term of office
12 years, 227 days
Political party
Bharatiya Janata Party
Bhajan Lal
Bhajan Lal
#
34
Name
Bhajan Lal
State/UT
Haryana
Term of office
28 June 1979
Term of office
23 May 1982
Term of office
11 years, 300 days
Political party
Janata Party
Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
#
23 May 1982
Name
Indian National Congress
Bansi Lal
Bansi Lal
#
35
Name
Bansi Lal
State/UT
Haryana
Term of office
21 May 1968
Term of office
1 December 1975
Term of office
11 years, 283 days
Political party
Indian National Congress
Haryana Vikas Party
Haryana Vikas Party
#
11 May 1996
Name
Haryana Vikas Party
Vasantrao Naik
Vasantrao Naik
#
36
Name
Vasantrao Naik
State/UT
Maharashtra
Term of office
5 December 1963
Term of office
21 February 1975
Term of office
11 years, 78 days
Political party
Indian National Congress
Farooq Abdullah
Farooq Abdullah
#
37
Name
Farooq Abdullah
State/UT
Jammu and Kashmir
Term of office
8 September 1982
Term of office
2 July 1984
Term of office
11 years, 15 days
Political party
Jammu & Kashmir National Conference
Govind Ballabh Pant
Govind Ballabh Pant
#
38
Name
Govind Ballabh Pant
State/UT
Uttar Pradesh
Term of office
17 July 1937
Term of office
2 November 1939
Term of office
11 years, 13 days
Political party
Indian National Congress
E. K. Nayanar
E. K. Nayanar
#
39
Name
E. K. Nayanar
State/UT
Kerala
Term of office
25 January 1980
Term of office
20 October 1981
Term of office
10 years, 355 days
Political party
Communist Party of India (Marxist)
M. O. H. Farook
M. O. H. Farook
#
40
Name
M. O. H. Farook
State/UT
Puducherry
Term of office
9 April 1967
Term of office
6 March 1968
Term of office
10 years, 250 days
Political party
Indian National Congress
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
#
17 March 1969
Name
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
#
16 March 1985
Name
Indian National Congress
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee
#
41
Name
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee
State/UT
West Bengal
Term of office
6 November 2000
Term of office
20 May 2011
Term of office
10 years, 195 days
Political party
Communist Party of India (Marxist)
Bhairon Singh Shekhawat
Bhairon Singh Shekhawat
#
42
Name
Bhairon Singh Shekhawat
State/UT
Rajasthan
Term of office
22 June 1977
Term of office
16 February 1980
Term of office
10 years, 156 days
Political party
Janata Party
Bharatiya Janata Party
Bharatiya Janata Party
#
4 March 1990
Name
Bharatiya Janata Party
M. G. Ramachandran
M. G. Ramachandran
#
43
Name
M. G. Ramachandran
State/UT
Tamil Nadu
Term of office
30 June 1977
Term of office
17 February 1980
Term of office
10 years, 65 days
Political party
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
Nripen Chakraborty
Nripen Chakraborty
#
44
Name
Nripen Chakraborty
State/UT
Tripura
Term of office
5 January 1978
Term of office
5 February 1988
Term of office
10 years, 31 days
Political party
Communist Party of India (Marxist)
Vasundhara Raje
Vasundhara Raje
#
45
Name
Vasundhara Raje
State/UT
Rajasthan
Term of office
8 December 2003
Term of office
12 December 2008
Term of office
10 years, 8 days
Political party
Bharatiya Janata Party
Digvijaya Singh
Digvijaya Singh
#
46
Name
Digvijaya Singh
State/UT
Madhya Pradesh
Term of office
7 December 1993
Term of office
8 December 2003
Term of office
10 years, 1 day
Political party
Indian National Congress
| # | Portrait | Name | State/UT | Term of office | Political party | |||
| 1 | | Pawan Kumar Chamling | Sikkim | 12 December 1994 | 26 May 2019 | 24 years, 165 days | Sikkim Democratic Front | |
| 2 | | Naveen Patnaik | Odisha | 5 March 2000 | 12 June 2024 | 24 years, 99 days | Biju Janata Dal | |
| 3 | | Jyoti Basu | West Bengal | 21 June 1977 | 5 November 2000 | 23 years, 137 days | Communist Party of India (Marxist) | |
| 4 | | Gegong Apang | Arunachal Pradesh | 18 January 1980 | 19 January 1999 | 22 years, 250 days | Indian National Congress | |
| Arunachal Congress | ||||||||
| 3 August 2003 | 9 April 2007 | United Democratic Front | ||||||
| Bharatiya Janata Party | ||||||||
| Indian National Congress | ||||||||
| 5 | | Lal Thanhawla | Mizoram | 5 May 1984 | 21 August 1986 | 22 years, 60 days | Indian National Congress | |
| 24 January 1989 | 3 December 1998 | |||||||
| 11 December 2008 | 15 December 2018 | |||||||
| 6 | | Virbhadra Singh | Himachal Pradesh | 8 April 1983 | 5 March 1990 | 21 years, 13 days | Indian National Congress | |
| 3 December 1993 | 24 March 1998 | |||||||
| 6 March 2003 | 30 December 2007 | |||||||
| 25 December 2012 | 27 December 2017 | |||||||
| 7 | | Manik Sarkar | Tripura | 11 March 1998 | 9 March 2018 | 19 years, 363 days | Communist Party of India (Marxist) | |
| 8 | | Nitish Kumar | Bihar | 3 March 2000 | 10 March 2000 | 19 years, 112 days | Samta Party | |
| 24 November 2005 | 20 May 2014 | Janata Dal (United) | ||||||
| 22 February 2015 | Incumbent | |||||||
| 9 | | M. Karunanidhi | Tamil Nadu | 10 February 1969 | 31 January 1976 | 18 years, 362 days | Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | |
| 27 January 1989 | 30 January 1991 | |||||||
| 13 May 1996 | 14 May 2001 | |||||||
| 13 May 2006 | 16 May 2011 | |||||||
| 10 | | Parkash Singh Badal | Punjab | 27 March 1970 | 14 June 1971 | 18 years, 350 days | Shiromani Akali Dal | |
| 20 June 1977 | 17 February 1980 | |||||||
| 12 February 1997 | 26 February 2002 | |||||||
| 1 March 2007 | 16 March 2017 | |||||||
| 11 | | Neiphiu Rio | Nagaland | 6 March 2003 | 3 January 2008 | 18 years, 289 days | Naga People's Front | |
| 12 March 2008 | 24 May 2014 | |||||||
| 8 March 2018 | Incumbent | Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party & Naga People's Front | ||||||
| 12 | | Yashwant Singh Parmar | Himachal Pradesh | 8 March 1952 | 31 October 1956 | 18 years, 83 days | Indian National Congress | |
| 1 July 1963 | 28 January 1977 | |||||||
| 13 | | Shri Krishna Sinha | Bihar | 20 July 1937 | 31 October 1939 | 17 years, 51 days | Indian National Congress | |
| 2 April 1946 | 31 January 1961 | |||||||
| 14 | | Shivraj Singh Chouhan | Madhya Pradesh | 29 November 2005 | 17 December 2018 | 16 years, 284 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | |
| 23 March 2020 | 12 December 2023 | |||||||
| 15 | | Mohan Lal Sukhadia | Rajasthan | 13 November 1954 | 13 March 1967 | 16 years, 194 days | Indian National Congress | |
| 26 April 1967 | 9 July 1971 | |||||||
| 16 | | N. Rangaswamy | Puducherry | 27 October 2001 | 4 September 2008 | 16 years, 187 days | Indian National Congress | |
| 16 May 2011 | 6 June 2016 | All India N.R. Congress | ||||||
| 7 May 2021 | Incumbent | |||||||
| 17 | | Pratapsingh Rane | Goa | 16 January 1980 | 27 March 1990 | 15 years, 325 days | Indian National Congress | |
| 16 December 1994 | 29 July 1998 | |||||||
| 3 February 2005 | 4 March 2005 | |||||||
| 7 June 2005 | 8 June 2007 | |||||||
| 18 | | S. C. Jamir | Nagaland | 18 April 1980 | 5 June 1980 | 15 years, 151 days | United Democratic Front-Progressive | |
| 18 November 1982 | 29 October 1986 | |||||||
| 25 January 1989 | 16 May 1990 | Indian National Congress | ||||||
| 22 February 1993 | 6 March 2003 | |||||||
References
- A term is defined as a continuous period between taking office and resignation of a particular chief minister.
- Durga Das Basu. Introduction to the Constitution of India. 1960. 20th Edition, 2011 Reprint. .mw- .mw- .mw- .mw- .mw- .m
- Jagron Joshhttps://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/longest-serving-chief-ministers-in-india-1562832061-1
- Times of Indiahttps://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/indias-longest-serving-cms/articleshow/63971053.cms
- https://www.news18.com/amp/photogallery/india/nitish-kumar-is-not-the-longest-serving-cm-heres-top-10-longest-serving-cms-in-india-ws-l-9721057.htmlhttps://www.news18.com/amp/photogallery/india/nitish-kumar-is-not-the-longest-serving-cm-heres-top-10-longest-serving-cms-in-india-ws-l-9721057.html
- Times of Indiahttps://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/pawan-chamling-pips-jyoti-basu-as-longest-serving-chief-minister/articleshow/63967698.cms
- Indian Expresshttps://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/india-longest-serving-chief-ministers-naveen-patnaik-5755088/
- The New Indian Expresshttps://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2018/jul/08/west-bengal-celebrates-birth-anniversary-of-former-chief-minister-jyoti-basu-1840328.html
- www.timesnownews.comhttps://www.timesnownews.com/india/bihar/article/nitish-eyes-another-term-who-are-the-longest-serving-chief-ministers-of-india/680600
- The Hinduhttps://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/the-five-oaths-of-jayalalithaa/article14335230.ece1
- News18https://www.news18.com/news/politics/curtain-falls-on-left-rule-after-34-years-in-wb-369046.html