Sikkim's Pawan Chamling becomes longest-serving CM in India, breaks Jyoti Basu's record

Pawan Chamling first took office as the CM of Sikkim on December 12, 1994.

Pic courtesy: Twitter/@pawanchamling5 (File photo)

Gangtok: Pawan Chamling created history on April 28, 2018, by becoming the longest serving Chief Minister of the country. He has one more year to go in his fifth term as the CM of Sikkim.

Chamling has broken the record of late Jyoti Basu, who was the longest serving CM in India. He was the CM of West Bengal for five terms from June 21, 1977, to November 6, 2000. Due to ill health, Basu could not complete his fifth term and Buddhadeb Bhattacharya had taken charge from him.

Chamling has led Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) to successive electoral victories for five terms in the hill state. He first took office as the CM of Sikkim on December 12, 1994. 

 Before that, he served as minister for Industries, Information and Public Relations from 1989 to 1992 in the Nar Bahadur Bhandari Cabinet.

Congratulating Chamling, Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma tweeted:

Congratulations for being the longest serving CM @pawanchamling5 ji. Your dedication and commitment is a testimony of your leadership, which keeps the spirit of democracy alive. You have not just transformed #Sikkim but have set a benchmark for others to follow. @CMOSIKKIM pic.twitter.com/cCQ9f7xShW — Conrad Sangma (@SangmaConrad) April 29, 2018

Talking to Sikkim Express, Chamling said he was personally happy with the record and he also extended his thanks to the people of Sikkim. "This would not have been possible without the faith, belief and support of the people of Sikkim. The credit for this goes to the people of Sikkim,” Chamling was quoted as saying by the media house.

In September 2017, he was honoured for his pioneering work in the field of organic farming during a ceremony at Germany's Lagau on the occasion of the One World Festival.

Chamling was conferred the Grand Prix Award during the One World Award ceremony on September 8, 2017, at a mega event attended by nearly 700 guests who had arrived from different countries. The award was jointly handed over by Gerd Muller, the Federal Minister of Bavaria, and Joseph Wilhelm, German Organic Pioneer and Managing Director of Rupenzel.

The award is presented every three years by Rapunzel and IFOAM - Organics International to people and initiatives that have an outstanding impact on the international organic movement and its ideas. 

(With IANS inputs)