BJD supremo and chief minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik turned 78 on Monday. Patnaik is the longest-serving Chief Minister of the state and as of now, one of the longest-serving Chief Ministers of the country, holding the post for over 23 years. He is only the third Indian CM after Pawan Chamling and Jyoti Basu to remain CM for five consecutive terms.
Patnaik appeared in Odisha political scenario after the demise of his father legendary Biju Patnaik in late ninetees. He initially got elected as an MP from Aska Loksabha constituency and became a union minister in Vajpayee’s cabinet in 1998. In May, 2000 he bacame CM of Odisha for the first time and the rest is history. In the forth coming Assembly elections in 2024 BJD has hoped to clinch power, riding on his popularity and developmental works in the state.
