CALCUTTA, 28 September 2004 — The outcome of next month’s provincial elections in India’s remote Arunachal Pradesh could rewrite Marxist helmsman Jyoti Basu’s record as the country’s longest serving Chief Minister.

Basu is a household name across the length and breadth of India as well as among NRIs. His face too is easily recognizable. Gegong Apang is hardly known outside northeastern India.

Now there is every likelihood of Gegong breaking Basu’s record as the country’s longest-serving chief minister — an achievement which nobody thought would be ever matched let alone surpassed.

Basu became the chief minister of West Bengal in 1977 when the Left Front captured power. He voluntarily stepped down in 2001 after appointing Budddhadev Bhattacharya as his successor.

Gegong has served as chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh — the far-flung northeastern state bordering China — for 20 years.

If the Congress party wins the October provincial elections in Arunachal Pradesh as it seems likely, Gegong — the proverbial dark horse — might break Basu’s record.

Of course, there is an ocean of difference between the two men. Basu never switched political parties. And his reputation was never tarnished by scandals. Gegong is known for switching parties and dogged by scandals.

Originally a Congress worker, Gegong has been in and out of the party. Last year, he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party and ushered in the first BJP government in the predominantly Christian northeastern region.

But last month, he suddenly rejoined Congress after a closed-door meeting with Sonia Gandhi. “I have realized that Congress is the only party that is sincere about improving the lot of northeastern people,” he announced after his homecoming.

Congress is projecting him as the chief minister if the party wins the Oct. 7 elections. So if all goes well, Gegong might well be the chief minister until 2009.

“Almost all big names have rejoined Congress and the BJP is left in the lurch with no top leaders worth the name to lead the party,” a state BJP leader said.

Congress on its part would try and convince the state’s 700,000-strong electorate that backing the party running the federal government will ensure financial grants for fast-paced development.

“People in the state by and large always vote for a party ruling in Delhi and this time too it is going to be no different”, said Takam Sanjay, a Congress leader.