Madhya Pradesh’s Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday became the longest-serving BJP chief minister in terms of total time spent in office. On Thursday, he completed 15 years and 11 days in the chair, which beats the record of 15 years and 10 days set by Chhattisgarh’s former CM Raman Singh.
“Raman Singh, who served as Chhattisgarh CM between 7 December 2003 and 17 December 2018 — held the post for 15 years and 10 days. Chouhan broke Raman Singh’s record on 17 March,” BJP leader Lokendra Parashar.
umerous BJP leaders issued congratulatory tweets addressed to Chouhan on the day, including MP BJP media in-charge Lokendra Parashar and former state mining corporation chief Govind Maloo.
Chouhan is the first BJP politician to serve as chief minister of MP four times. He is also the only leader who became CM during the BJP’s Atal Bihari Vajpayee-L.K. Advani era and is still in power.
However, Chouhan’s number is far short of some current CMs. Odisha’s Naveen Patnaik has been serving as CM for 22 years (consecutively), while Bihar CM Nitish Kumar has completed more than 15 years (non-consecutive) and Nagaland CM Neiphiu Rio about 15 years (non-consecutive).
The list of longest-serving chief ministers in India’s history include Sikkim’s Pawan Kumar Chamling (more than 24 years), West Bengal’s Jyoti Basu (more than 23 years) and Arunachal Pradesh’s Gegong Apang (22 years, non-consecutive).
Chouhan took oath as Madhya Pradesh CM for the first time in November 2005, after being chosen as the party’s chief ministerial candidate by the BJP’s parliamentary board. Chouhan replaced fellow BJP leader Babulal Gaur.
Chouhan’s selection as CM candidate drew the ire of senior leader Uma Bharati, who attacked senior party leader Advani for the selection. This led to her expulsion from the BJP for a period of six years. Bharati, a former MP chief minister herself, had harboured ambitions for the post herself and left the BJP ahead of the 2008 assembly elections in MP. She returned to the BJP in 2011.
“Bharati’s ouster from the party created a vacuum in the state leadership and it also worked for Chouhan, as he used this opportunity to emerge as a tall leader. Since then there has been no turning back,” said a senior leader who did not wish to be identified.
Shivraj is now BJP CM with longest time in chair
STAFF REPORTER n BHOPAL
Madhya Pradesh’s Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday became the longest-serving BJP chief minister in terms of total time spent in office. On Thursday, he completed 15 years and 11 days in the chair, which beats the record of 15 years and 10 days set by Chhattisgarh’s former CM Raman Singh.
“Raman Singh, who served as Chhattisgarh CM between 7 December 2003 and 17 December 2018 — held the post for 15 years and 10 days. Chouhan broke Raman Singh’s record on 17 March,” BJP leader Lokendra Parashar.
umerous BJP leaders issued congratulatory tweets addressed to Chouhan on the day, including MP BJP media in-charge Lokendra Parashar and former state mining corporation chief Govind Maloo.
Chouhan is the first BJP politician to serve as chief minister of MP four times. He is also the only leader who became CM during the BJP’s Atal Bihari Vajpayee-L.K. Advani era and is still in power.
However, Chouhan’s number is far short of some current CMs. Odisha’s Naveen Patnaik has been serving as CM for 22 years (consecutively), while Bihar CM Nitish Kumar has completed more than 15 years (non-consecutive) and Nagaland CM Neiphiu Rio about 15 years (non-consecutive).
The list of longest-serving chief ministers in India’s history include Sikkim’s Pawan Kumar Chamling (more than 24 years), West Bengal’s Jyoti Basu (more than 23 years) and Arunachal Pradesh’s Gegong Apang (22 years, non-consecutive).
Chouhan took oath as Madhya Pradesh CM for the first time in November 2005, after being chosen as the party’s chief ministerial candidate by the BJP’s parliamentary board. Chouhan replaced fellow BJP leader Babulal Gaur.
Chouhan’s selection as CM candidate drew the ire of senior leader Uma Bharati, who attacked senior party leader Advani for the selection. This led to her expulsion from the BJP for a period of six years. Bharati, a former MP chief minister herself, had harboured ambitions for the post herself and left the BJP ahead of the 2008 assembly elections in MP. She returned to the BJP in 2011.
“Bharati’s ouster from the party created a vacuum in the state leadership and it also worked for Chouhan, as he used this opportunity to emerge as a tall leader. Since then there has been no turning back,” said a senior leader who did not wish to be identified.