Gujarat has had 17 Chief Ministers since it became a state on 1 May 1960. This complete list of Chief Ministers of Gujarat covers every name, term, party and turning point from Dr. Jivraj Mehta to Bhupendra Patel. Whether you are preparing for GPSC, settling a chai-tapri debate, or just curious about who runs Gandhinagar, this guide has you covered.
Quick answers
- Current Chief Minister of Gujarat: Bhupendra Patel (BJP), in office since 13 September 2021.
- First Chief Minister: Dr. Jivraj Narayan Mehta (Congress), 1960–1963.
- Longest-serving CM: Narendra Modi, 12 years and 227 days (2001–2014).
- First woman CM: Anandiben Patel (2014–2016).
- Total Chief Ministers so far: 17 individuals.
- Current Deputy CM: Harsh Sanghavi, since 17 October 2025.
Who Is the Current Chief Minister of Gujarat?
Bhupendra Patel is the current Chief Minister of Gujarat. He is the state’s 17th CM and represents the Ghatlodia seat in Ahmedabad. Supporters fondly call him “Dada”.
Patel first took oath on 13 September 2021, after Vijay Rupani stepped down. At the time, he was a first-time MLA. Many observers saw his elevation as a surprise pick.
He then led the BJP into the December 2022 Assembly election. The party won 156 of 182 seats, the biggest tally in Gujarat’s history. As a result, Patel took oath for a second term on 12 December 2022.
In October 2025, his cabinet saw a major reshuffle. Harsh Sanghavi, who already handled the Home portfolio, became Deputy Chief Minister. Today, Patel’s continuous tenure has crossed five years, which places him among the longest-serving CMs the state has seen.
Complete List of Chief Ministers of Gujarat (1960–2026)
The table below gives the full list of Chief Ministers of Gujarat in chronological order. Leaders who returned for a second or third stint appear again with their original number in brackets. Periods of President’s Rule are also marked.
| No. | Chief Minister | Term of Office | Party |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dr. Jivraj Narayan Mehta | 1 May 1960 – 18 Sep 1963 | Indian National Congress |
| 2 | Balwantrai Mehta | 19 Sep 1963 – 19 Sep 1965 | Indian National Congress |
| 3 | Hitendra Kanaiyalal Desai | 19 Sep 1965 – 12 May 1971 | Congress, later Congress (O) |
| – | President’s Rule | 13 May 1971 – 17 Mar 1972 | – |
| 4 | Ghanshyam Oza | 17 Mar 1972 – 17 Jul 1973 | Indian National Congress |
| 5 | Chimanbhai Patel | 18 Jul 1973 – 9 Feb 1974 | Indian National Congress |
| – | President’s Rule | 9 Feb 1974 – 18 Jun 1975 | – |
| 6 | Babubhai Jashbhai Patel | 18 Jun 1975 – 12 Mar 1976 | Janata Morcha |
| – | President’s Rule | 12 Mar 1976 – 24 Dec 1976 | – |
| 7 | Madhavsinh Solanki | 24 Dec 1976 – 10 Apr 1977 | Indian National Congress |
| (6) | Babubhai Jashbhai Patel | 11 Apr 1977 – 17 Feb 1980 | Janata Party |
| – | President’s Rule | 17 Feb 1980 – 6 Jun 1980 | – |
| (7) | Madhavsinh Solanki | 7 Jun 1980 – 6 Jul 1985 | Congress (I) |
| 8 | Amarsinh Chaudhary | 6 Jul 1985 – 9 Dec 1989 | Indian National Congress |
| (7) | Madhavsinh Solanki | 10 Dec 1989 – 3 Mar 1990 | Indian National Congress |
| (5) | Chimanbhai Patel | 4 Mar 1990 – 17 Feb 1994 | Janata Dal, later Congress |
| 9 | Chhabildas Mehta | 17 Feb 1994 – 13 Mar 1995 | Indian National Congress |
| 10 | Keshubhai Patel | 14 Mar 1995 – 21 Oct 1995 | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| 11 | Suresh Mehta | 21 Oct 1995 – 19 Sep 1996 | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| – | President’s Rule | 19 Sep 1996 – 23 Oct 1996 | – |
| 12 | Shankersinh Vaghela | 23 Oct 1996 – 27 Oct 1997 | Rashtriya Janata Party |
| 13 | Dilip Parikh | 28 Oct 1997 – 4 Mar 1998 | Rashtriya Janata Party |
| (10) | Keshubhai Patel | 4 Mar 1998 – 6 Oct 2001 | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| 14 | Narendra Modi | 7 Oct 2001 – 22 May 2014 | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| 15 | Anandiben Patel | 22 May 2014 – 7 Aug 2016 | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| 16 | Vijay Rupani | 7 Aug 2016 – 13 Sep 2021 | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| 17 | Bhupendra Patel | 13 Sep 2021 – Present | Bharatiya Janata Party |
Note: Oath and resignation dates can differ by a day across records. For official records, refer to the Gujarat Legislative Assembly website.
How Gujarat Got Its First Chief Minister
Before 1960, Gujarat did not exist as a separate state. Instead, it was part of the bilingual Bombay State, along with today’s Maharashtra.
That changed with the Mahagujarat Andolan. This mass movement, led by Indulal Yagnik, demanded a separate state for Gujarati speakers. Ahmedabad was its beating heart. In fact, the city’s streets saw some of the movement’s biggest rallies and sharpest clashes.
Eventually, the Bombay Reorganisation Act, 1960 split the state in two. Gujarat was born on 1 May 1960, a day we still celebrate as Gujarat Sthapana Divas. Ahmedabad served as the first capital. Later, the government moved to the planned city of Gandhinagar.
Dr. Jivraj Narayan Mehta became the first Chief Minister. He was a respected physician and freedom fighter. Notably, he had also served as Mahatma Gandhi’s personal doctor.
The Congress Era (1960–1975)
Congress dominated Gujarat’s first fifteen years. However, the period was far from calm.
Balwantrai Mehta: A Tragic End
Balwantrai Mehta succeeded Jivraj Mehta in 1963. He is best known nationally as the “architect of Panchayati Raj” in India. Sadly, his tenure ended in tragedy. On 19 September 1965, during the India–Pakistan war, a Pakistani fighter jet shot down his small aircraft near the Kutch border. He remains the only sitting Gujarat CM to die in such circumstances.
Hitendra Desai and the Congress Split
Hitendra Desai took charge immediately after. He served for over five and a half years. Then the national Congress split in 1969, and Desai sided with the Congress (O) faction. His government fell in 1971, and Gujarat saw its first spell of President’s Rule.
Nav Nirman Andolan
Ghanshyam Oza and then Chimanbhai Patel led Congress governments in the early 1970s. However, rising prices and corruption charges sparked the Nav Nirman Andolan in 1974. Students from Ahmedabad’s colleges led the protests. Within weeks, Chimanbhai Patel had to resign. The movement later inspired the nationwide JP Movement.
Coalitions, Comebacks and Instability (1975–1995)
The next two decades brought frequent changes at the top. For instance, power swung between Congress and the Janata parties several times.
Babubhai J. Patel formed Gujarat’s first non-Congress government in 1975. He headed the Janata Morcha alliance. After a brief Emergency-era gap, he returned in 1977 with the Janata Party.
Madhavsinh Solanki then built his famous KHAM coalition. KHAM stood for Kshatriya, Harijan, Adivasi and Muslim voters. Using this formula, Congress won 149 seats in 1985. That record stood for 37 years, until the BJP crossed it in 2022.
Amarsinh Chaudhary followed Solanki in 1985. He was the state’s first tribal Chief Minister.
In 1990, Chimanbhai Patel made a dramatic comeback. This time, he led a Janata Dal government, initially with BJP support. Later, he merged his faction with Congress. He died in office in February 1994, and Chhabildas Mehta completed the term.
The BJP Era (1995–Present)
The 1995 election changed Gujarat’s politics for good. The BJP won a clear majority, and Keshubhai Patel became CM. Since 1998, the party has won every Assembly election in the state.
The 1995–1998 Turbulence
The early BJP years were rocky, though. Within months, Shankersinh Vaghela led a revolt against Keshubhai Patel. As a compromise, Suresh Mehta became CM. Vaghela then broke away, formed the Rashtriya Janata Party, and became CM with outside support from Congress. Dilip Parikh briefly replaced him. Finally, the BJP returned with a full majority in 1998, and Keshubhai Patel became CM again.
Narendra Modi’s 13 Years
Narendra Modi took over in October 2001. Gujarat was still recovering from the devastating Kutch earthquake earlier that year. He went on to win three straight elections, in 2002, 2007 and 2012.
His term is remembered for the Vibrant Gujarat summits, the Jyotigram rural power scheme and a big push on infrastructure. In Ahmedabad, projects like the Sabarmati Riverfront and the BRTS took shape during this period. Of course, his tenure also saw the 2002 riots, which remain a deeply debated chapter.
In May 2014, Modi became Prime Minister of India. He is the only Gujarat Chief Minister to go on to hold that post.
Anandiben Patel, Vijay Rupani and Bhupendra Patel
Anandiben Patel succeeded Modi and became Gujarat’s first woman Chief Minister. Her term saw the Patidar quota agitation. She resigned in August 2016 and later served as a Governor in other states.
Vijay Rupani, an MLA from Rajkot West, then led the state for five years. He steered Gujarat through the 2017 election and the COVID-19 pandemic. Sadly, Rupani died in the Air India Flight AI171 crash in Ahmedabad on 12 June 2025.
Bhupendra Patel has led the state since 2021. His government has focused on urban development, the semiconductor push around Dholera and Sanand, and preparations for big-ticket events in Ahmedabad.
Key Records and Interesting Facts
The list of Chief Ministers of Gujarat throws up some fun trivia. Here are the highlights:
- Longest tenure: Narendra Modi, at 12 years and 227 days.
- Shortest overall tenure: Dilip Parikh, at just over four months.
- Most separate terms: Madhavsinh Solanki, who held office three separate times.
- First woman CM: Anandiben Patel (2014).
- First tribal CM: Amarsinh Chaudhary (1985).
- Died in office: Balwantrai Mehta (1965) and Chimanbhai Patel (1994).
- Biggest mandate: BJP’s 156 seats in 2022, under Bhupendra Patel.
- President’s Rule: Imposed five times, most recently in 1996.
- Longest single-party run: BJP, in power continuously since March 1998.
The Ahmedabad Connection
Gandhinagar is the capital, but Amdavad has always been close to the CM’s chair. Several Chief Ministers have represented seats in the city.
- Ghatlodia: Both Anandiben Patel and Bhupendra Patel represented this seat. As a result, it has produced two Chief Ministers in a row.
- Maninagar: Narendra Modi represented this south Ahmedabad seat from 2002 to 2014.
- Sabarmati: Babubhai J. Patel was elected from here.
Moreover, two of the state’s biggest political movements, the Mahagujarat Andolan and the Nav Nirman Andolan, started on Ahmedabad’s streets. Simply put, if you want to understand Gujarat politics, start with Amdavad.
Party-Wise Summary of Gujarat Chief Ministers
| Party | Number of Chief Ministers | Names |
|---|---|---|
| Indian National Congress | 8 | Jivraj Mehta, Balwantrai Mehta, Hitendra Desai, Ghanshyam Oza, Chimanbhai Patel, Madhavsinh Solanki, Amarsinh Chaudhary, Chhabildas Mehta |
| Bharatiya Janata Party | 6 | Keshubhai Patel, Suresh Mehta, Narendra Modi, Anandiben Patel, Vijay Rupani, Bhupendra Patel |
| Rashtriya Janata Party | 2 | Shankersinh Vaghela, Dilip Parikh |
| Janata Morcha / Janata Party | 1 | Babubhai J. Patel |
Chimanbhai Patel’s 1990 government began under the Janata Dal. However, he is counted under Congress here, the party of his first term.
How Is the Chief Minister of Gujarat Chosen?
The process follows the Constitution of India. Here is how it works, step by step:
- Election: Voters elect 182 MLAs to the Gujarat Legislative Assembly every five years.
- Majority: A party or alliance needs at least 92 seats to form the government.
- Leader: The winning side’s MLAs elect their legislature party leader.
- Appointment: The Governor invites this leader to form the government and administers the oath.
- Confidence: The CM must keep the support of a majority in the Assembly to stay in office.
Notably, a person who is not an MLA can also become CM. However, they must win a seat within six months. Narendra Modi did exactly this in 2002, when he won the Rajkot-II by-election.
Powers and Role of the Chief Minister
The Chief Minister is the real head of the state government. The Governor is the formal head, but acts on the advice of the CM and the Council of Ministers.
Key responsibilities include:
- Choosing ministers and allocating their departments.
- Chairing cabinet meetings and steering state policy.
- Advising the Governor on summoning and dissolving the Assembly.
- Leading the state in talks with the Union government.
- Heading bodies such as the State Planning Board.
The Chief Minister’s Office functions from Swarnim Sankul in Gandhinagar. For official updates, you can visit the CMO Gujarat website or the Government of Gujarat portal.
Deputy Chief Ministers of Gujarat
The post of Deputy CM is not mentioned in the Constitution. Even so, Gujarat has used it at key moments. Keshubhai Patel served as Deputy CM in the 1990 coalition government. Later, Nitin Patel held the post from 2016 to 2021 under Vijay Rupani.
Currently, Harsh Sanghavi is the Deputy Chief Minister. He took oath on 17 October 2025 during a large cabinet reshuffle.
When Is the Next Gujarat Assembly Election?
The current Assembly was elected in December 2022. Therefore, the next Gujarat Assembly election is due by late 2027. The Election Commission of India will announce the exact schedule. Until then, Bhupendra Patel continues as Chief Minister.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the current Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2026?
Bhupendra Patel of the BJP is the current Chief Minister of Gujarat. He has held office since 13 September 2021 and won a second term in December 2022.
Who was the first Chief Minister of Gujarat?
Dr. Jivraj Narayan Mehta of the Congress was the first Chief Minister of Gujarat. He served from 1 May 1960 to 18 September 1963.
How many Chief Ministers has Gujarat had?
Gujarat has had 17 Chief Ministers since 1960. Some, like Madhavsinh Solanki and Keshubhai Patel, served more than one term.
Who was the longest-serving Chief Minister of Gujarat?
Narendra Modi served the longest, for 12 years and 227 days, from October 2001 to May 2014.
Who was the first woman Chief Minister of Gujarat?
Anandiben Patel was the first woman Chief Minister of Gujarat. She served from May 2014 to August 2016.
Which Gujarat Chief Minister became Prime Minister?
Narendra Modi is the only Gujarat Chief Minister who later became Prime Minister of India. Morarji Desai, though Gujarati, was Chief Minister of the old Bombay State, not Gujarat.
How many times has President’s Rule been imposed in Gujarat?
President’s Rule has been imposed five times in Gujarat: in 1971, 1974, 1976, 1980 and 1996.
Which constituency does Bhupendra Patel represent?
Bhupendra Patel represents the Ghatlodia constituency in Ahmedabad. Anandiben Patel also represented the same seat before him.
Who is the Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat?
Harsh Sanghavi is the Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat. He was sworn in on 17 October 2025.
Final Word
From Jivraj Mehta’s first cabinet to Bhupendra Patel’s record mandate, the list of Chief Ministers of Gujarat tells the story of the state itself. It covers mass movements, fragile coalitions, sudden tragedies and long, stable runs. Above all, much of that story was written in Ahmedabad.
Bookmark this page, because we update it whenever Gandhinagar sees a change. And for more on the people and places shaping our city, keep reading Amdavad Gully.