Chief Ministers of Gujarat (1960–2025): Complete List, History, and Political Legacy

Understanding the Constitutional Framework

Under the Indian Constitution, the Governor is the de jure head of a state, symbolizing ceremonial authority, while the Chief Minister acts as the de facto executive authority, responsible for the day-to-day governance and decision-making.

The appointment of the Chief Minister and other ministers is governed by Article 164. As per this provision, the Governor appoints the Chief Minister, who is typically the leader of the majority party or coalition in the State Legislative Assembly.

Formation of Gujarat: The Mahagujarat Movement

The state of Gujarat was officially formed on May 1, 1960, following the Mahagujarat Movement, which demanded a separate state for Gujarati-speaking people. As a result, Gujarat was carved out of the then Bombay State, marking a significant reorganization of linguistic boundaries in India.

First Chief Minister of Gujarat

The first Chief Minister of Gujarat was Dr. Jivraj Narayan Mehta of the Indian National Congress (INC). He held office from May 1, 1960, to March 3, 1962, laying the administrative and political foundations of the newly formed state.

Upcoming Gujarat Assembly Elections (2025)

The next Gujarat Legislative Assembly elections are set to be a high-stakes political contest. Voting will be conducted on December 5, 2025, and results will be declared on December 8, 2025. With the state being a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stronghold in recent decades, political analysts anticipate a closely watched election.

Chronological List of Chief Ministers of Gujarat (1960–2025)

Here is the comprehensive list of all Chief Ministers of Gujarat, detailing their terms, duration, and political affiliations:

No.	Name	Term of Office	Duration	Party
1	Jivraj Mehta	1 May 1960 – 3 March 1962	2 years, 300 days	Indian National Congress
		3 March 1962 – 25 February 1963	–	Indian National Congress
2	Balwantrai Mehta	25 February 1963 – 19 September 1965	2 years, 206 days	Indian National Congress
3	Hitendra Desai	19 September 1965 – 3 April 1967	5 years, 236 days	Indian National Congress
		3 April 1967 – 12 November 1969	–	Indian National Congress
		12 November 1969 – 13 May 1971	–	Indian National Congress (O)
–	President’s Rule	13 May 1971 – 17 March 1972	309 days	N/A
4	Ghanshyam Oza	17 March 1972 – 17 July 1973	1 year, 122 days	Indian National Congress
5	Chimanbhai Patel	17 July 1973 – 9 February 1974	207 days	Indian National Congress
–	President’s Rule	9 February 1974 – 18 June 1975	1 year, 129 days	N/A
6	Babubhai Patel	18 June 1975 – 12 March 1976	268 days	Indian National Congress (O)
–	President’s Rule	12 March 1976 – 24 December 1976	287 days	N/A
7	Madhav Singh Solanki	24 December 1976 – 11 April 1977	108 days	Indian National Congress
6	Babubhai Patel	11 April 1977 – 17 February 1980	2 years, 312 days	Janata Party
–	President’s Rule	17 February 1980 – 7 June 1980	111 days	N/A
7	Madhav Singh Solanki	7 June 1980 – 10 March 1985	5 years, 29 days	Indian National Congress
		11 March 1985 – 6 July 1985	–	Indian National Congress
8	Amarsinh Chaudhary	6 July 1985 – 10 December 1989	4 years, 157 days	Indian National Congress
7	Madhav Singh Solanki	10 December 1989 – 4 March 1990	84 days	Indian National Congress
5	Chimanbhai Patel	4 March 1990 – 25 October 1990	–	Janata Dal
		25 October 1990 – 17 February 1994	3 years, 350 days	Indian National Congress
9	Chhabildas Mehta	17 February 1994 – 14 March 1995	1 year, 25 days	Indian National Congress
10	Keshubhai Patel	14 March 1995 – 21 October 1995	221 days	Bharatiya Janata Party
11	Suresh Mehta	21 October 1995 – 19 September 1996	334 days	Bharatiya Janata Party
–	President’s Rule	19 September 1996 – 23 October 1996	34 days	N/A
12	Shankersinh Vaghela	23 October 1996 – 28 October 1997	1 year, 5 days	Rashtriya Janata Party
13	Dilip Parikh	28 October 1997 – 4 March 1998	127 days	Rashtriya Janata Party
10	Keshubhai Patel	4 March 1998 – 7 October 2001	3 years, 217 days	Bharatiya Janata Party
14	Narendra Modi	7 October 2001 – 22 December 2002	12 years, 227 days	Bharatiya Janata Party
		22 December 2002 – 22 December 2007	–	Bharatiya Janata Party
		23 December 2007 – 20 December 2012	–	Bharatiya Janata Party
		20 December 2012 – 22 May 2014	–	Bharatiya Janata Party
15	Anandiben Patel	22 May 2014 – 7 August 2016	2 years, 77 days	Bharatiya Janata Party
16	Vijay Rupani	7 August 2016 – 26 December 2017	5 years, 37 days	Bharatiya Janata Party
		26 December 2017 – 13 September 2021	–	Bharatiya Janata Party
17	Bhupendrabhai Patel	13 September 2021 – 12 December 2022	3 years, 120 days (ongoing)	Bharatiya Janata Party
		12 December 2022 – Incumbent	–	Bharatiya Janata Party

Trends and Political Dominance

• The Indian National Congress (INC) dominated Gujarat politics in the early decades, with leaders like Jivraj Mehta, Madhav Singh Solanki, and Chimanbhai Patel.
• Since 2001, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has retained a strong hold, especially during the long tenure of Narendra Modi, who later became Prime Minister of India in 2014.
• Recent transitions have continued to reflect BJP dominance, with Anandiben Patel, Vijay Rupani, and now Bhupendra Patel holding office.