Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday scripted history in Odisha by becoming the State’s Chief Minister for the fourth time in a row.
He not only broke the record of his legendary father Biju Patnaik but also crossed the milestones set by other leaders like Dr Harekrushna Mahtab and JB Patnaik. He has been continuing as the Chief Minister uninterruptedly since May 5, 2000. Other than Naveen Patnaik, Dr Mahtab and JB Patnaik have ruled the State three times each.
Biswanath Das, Maharaj Krushna Chandra Gajapati Narayan Dev, Nabakrushna Choudhury, Biju Patnaik, Nandini Satpathy and Hemanand Biswal were Chief Minister twice each.
Maharaja Rajendra Narayan Singh Deo, Biren Mitra, Sadashiv Tripathy, Binayak Acharya, Nilamani Routray and Giridhar Gamang had the opportunity to become Chief Minister once each.
Since 1937, at least 15 leaders took oath on 27 occasions to lead the State. While Krushna Chandra Gajapati and Biswnath Das took charge as ‘Prime Ministers’ from 1937 to 1944, 13 others took oath as Chief Ministers.
With interruption, Congress veteran JB Patnaik, currently Governor of Assam, ruled the State three times for about 14 years. He completed his full five-year first term since 1980 and went on for another full tenure since 1985. He returned to power again in 1995 and stayed Chief Minster till 1999, after which Gamang took over.
Dr Mahtab in three different spells ruled Odisha for a little more than eight years. But he failed to complete any term. Nabakrushna Choudhury, an active co-worker of Mahatma Gandhi and a crusader against corruption, was the Chief Minister twice between 1950 and 1956.
Similar was the story of Biswanath Das who ruled the State twice for three and a half years. The Parala Maharaja also led the State for less than three years in two terms. Biju Patnaik first became Chief Minister in 1961 for less than two and a half years. He had to struggle hard for more than 26 years to get back to power in the State in 1990 and completed a five-year term.
RN Singh Deo had to demit the office of Chief Minister before completing four years. Nandini Satpathy got two chances to serve as Chief Minister for three and a half years in the 1070s.
Nilamani Routray failed to complete four years. Sadashiv Tripathy was the Chief Minister for 25 months while Biren Mitra could not complete one and a half years.
Binayak Acharya became the Chief Minister for four months while Hemanand Biswal was the Chief Minister as a stopgap arrangement. His tenure was for three months. Giridhar Gamang also could not complete even one year as the Chief Minister.