Odisha's Naveen Patnaik replaces West Bengal's Jyoti Basu as second-longest-serving CM in India
Bhubaneswar, Jul 22: Odisha's Naveen Patnaik on Saturday became the second-longest-serving chief minister in the country, replacing West Bengal's Jyoti Basu.
Former Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling still holds the record of being the longest-serving CM in the country. He was the CM of the Himalayan state from December 12, 1994 till May 27, 2019 -- more than 24 years.
Patnaik, the five-time chief minister of Odisha, took charge on March 5, 2000, and holds the post for 23 years and 138 days.
Basu served as the chief minister of West Bengal from June 21, 1977 to November 5, 2000, which was 23 years and 137 days.
Patnaik is also the third leader after Chamling and Basu to become the chief minister of a state for five consecutive times. If the ruling BJD wins the 2024 elections, Patnaik will be the longest-serving chief minister in India.
BJD vice president Prasanna Acharya said, "We are happy that our chief minister has crossed the record of West Bengal's former CM Jyoti Basu. I am sure that Patnaik will break all the records of the past, and will emerge as the longest-serving CM."
Congress leader SS Saluja said, "We congratulate Naveen Patnaik for becoming the second-longest-serving CM, but we are pained that Patnaik is not doing anything during his term."
Senior BJP leader Suresh Pujari said history will not remember how long one serves as the chief minister, but how one creates history within a short span of time.
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23-year-old woman found dead at Delhi home; suicide suspected
New Delhi (PTI): A 23-year-old woman was found dead in her house in Delhi's Prem Nagar area, with police suspecting it to be a case of suicide, an official said on Tuesday.
The deceased, identified as Anjali Singh, was found motionless in her room on Monday by her sister and her neighbour.
Police said her father, Vinod Kumar Singh (51), told them that he and his wife were away at work at the time of the incident, while their son and the other daughter were also not at home at the time of the incident.
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According to the family, the room in which Anjali was found was locked from the inside. The door was later forcibly opened by a neighbour and her sister with the help of a crowbar.
Her body was found lying on the bed inside the room, police said.
Preliminary inquiry revealed that Anjali had allegedly hanged herself using a piece of cloth tied to the ceiling fan.
It is suspected that the noose eventually might have loosened or torn off, resulting in her being found lying on the bed.
Family members informed the police that Anjali was a final-year student of a librarian science course from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). About a week ago, her final-year examination results were declared, and she had failed, following which she had been under depression, they said.
The family has not raised any allegation of foul play, police said, adding that no suicide note or external injury marks were found on the body during the initial inspection.
Inquest proceedings have been initiated in the matter as per the law. The body has been sent for post-mortem examination to ascertain the exact cause of death, and further investigation is underway, police added.
