 He was the Chief Minister of Odisha from 17 February 1999 to 6 December 1999.His wife, Hema Gamang, won from Koraput constituency in the 1999 elections to the 13th Lok Sabha, while he was serving as the Chief Minister of Odisha.In 1998, while he was a member of the 12th parliament, he was asked to become Chief minister of Odissa.