Chief Ministers of Gujarat
17 people have held the office, across 32 terms, from formation to today.
Every Chief Minister
Most recent first, with a short biography where one is available.
Bhupendra Patel
Incumbent13 Sep 2021 – present · 4 years, 11 months · 2 terms
Bhupendrabhai Rajnikant Patel (born 15 July 1962) is an Indian politician who has been serving as the 17th Chief Minister of Gujarat since September 2021. He is also serving as leader of the house in legislative assembly. He represents the Ghatlodia Assembly constituency in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly since 2017. Wikipedia →
7 Aug 2016 – 13 Sep 2021 · 5 years, 1 month · 2 terms
Vijay Ramniklal Rupani (2 August 1956 – 12 June 2025) was an Indian politician who served as the chief minister of Gujarat from 5 August 2016 to 11 September 2021 for two consecutive terms. He was a representative in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly for the Rajkot West constituency from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He was among the passengers who died in the crash of Air India Flight 171. Wikipedia →
22 May 2014 – 7 Aug 2016 · 2 years, 2 months
Anandiben Mafatbhai Patel (born 21 November 1941) is an Indian politician serving as the 20th and current governor of Uttar Pradesh since 2019. She also served as the 17th governor of Madhya Pradesh from 2020 to 2021 and as Governor of Chhattisgarh from 2018 to 2019. She has served as the first and to date, the only female Chief Minister of Gujarat. Wikipedia →
7 Oct 2001 – 22 May 2014 · 12 years, 7 months · 4 terms
Narendra Damodardas Modi (born 17 September 1950) is an Indian politician who has served as the prime minister of India since 26 May 2014. Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014 and is the Member of Parliament (MP) for Varanasi. He is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a right-wing Hindutva paramilitary volunteer organisation. Wikipedia →
Dilip Parikh
27 Oct 1997 – 4 Mar 1998 · 4 months
Dilip Ramanbhai Parikh (16 February 1937 – 25 October 2019) was an Indian politician and industrialist. He was the 13th Chief Minister of Gujarat from 28 October 1997 to 4 March 1998. Dilip Parekh is also the most recent non BJP Chief Minister of Gujarat as of now. Wikipedia →
Shankersinh Vaghela
23 Oct 1996 – 27 Oct 1997 · 1 year
Shankersinh Vaghela (born 21 July 1940) is an Indian politician and former Chief Minister of Gujarat. He was also the Leader of Opposition in 13th Gujarat Legislative Assembly. Vagela started his political career with the Jana Sangh, which later merged into the Janata Party in 1977. Wikipedia →
21 Oct 1995 – 19 Sep 1996 · 10 months
Suresh Mehta (born 5 August 1936) is an Indian politician and former Chief Minister of Gujarat from 1995 to 1996. Wikipedia →
14 Mar 1995 – 7 Oct 2001 · 4 years, 2 months · 2 terms
Keshubhai Patel (24 July 1928 – 29 October 2020) was an Indian politician who was the Chief Minister of Gujarat in 1995 and again from 1998 to 2001. He was a six-time member of Gujarat Legislative Assembly. He was a member of RSS since 1940s, of Bharatiya Jana Sangh in 1960s, Janata Party in 1970s, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from 1980. Wikipedia →
17 Feb 1994 – 14 Mar 1995 · 1 year
Chhabildas Mehta (4 November 1925 – 29 November 2008) was an Indian politician and the former Chief Minister of Gujarat who served from 1994 to 1995. Wikipedia →
Amarsinh Chaudhary
6 Jul 1985 – 10 Dec 1989 · 4 years, 5 months
Amarsinh Bhilabhai Chaudhary (31 July 1941 – 15 August 2004) was an Indian politician. He became the first adivasi to serve as the Chief Minister of Gujarat when he took office in 1985. Wikipedia →
Madhav Singh Solanki
24 Dec 1976 – 4 Mar 1990 · 5 years, 7 months · 4 terms
Madhav Singh Solanki (30 July 1927 – 9 January 2021) was a leader of Indian National Congress party who served as External Affairs minister of India. He served also as the Chief Minister of Gujarat three times. He was known for KHAM theory by which he came to power in Gujarat in 1980s. Wikipedia →
Babubhai J. Patel
18 Jun 1975 – 17 Feb 1980 · 3 years, 7 months · 2 terms
Babubhai Jashbhai Patel (9 February 1911 – 19 December 2002) was the chief minister of Gujarat state in India. He held the office twice, first time from June 1975 to March 1976 as the leader of Janata Morcha and the second time from April 1977 to February 1980 as leader of Janata Party. Wikipedia →
Chimanbhai Patel
17 Jul 1973 – 17 Feb 1994 · 4 years, 6 months · 3 terms
Chimanbhai Patel (3 June 1929 – 17 February 1994) was an Indian politician associated with Indian National Congress and Janata Dal, and a former Chief Minister of Gujarat state in India representing both those parties at various times. Patel is known as the founder of Kokam Theory which was initiated to counter the Kham Theory of Indian National Congress and it was very successful in Saurashtra and South Gujarat to achieve the huge support from Kolis which were 24% of the state population. Wikipedia →
Ghanshyam Oza
17 Mar 1972 – 17 Jul 1973 · 1 year, 4 months
Ghanshyam Chhotalal Oza (25 October 1911 – 12 July 2002) was the Chief Minister of Gujarat, India from 17 March 1972 to 17 July 1973. He had a B.A. and L.L.B. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Saurashtra State from 1948 to 1956. He later became a member of the Legislative Assembly of Bombay state in 1956. Wikipedia →
Hitendra Desai
19 Sep 1965 – 13 May 1971 · 5 years, 7 months · 3 terms
Hitendra Kanaiyalal Desai (9 August 1915 – 12 September 1993) was an Indian politician who served as the 3rd Chief Minister of Gujarat from 1965 to 1971 and a leader of Indian National Congress and later Indian National Congress (O). Wikipedia →
Balwantrai Mehta
19 Sep 1963 – 19 Sep 1965 · 2 years
Balwantrai Gopalji Mehta (19 February 1899 or 1900 – (1965-09-19)19 September 1965) was an Indian independence activist and politician who served as the second chief minister of Gujarat from 1963 until his death in 1965 during the Second India–Pakistan war. He is the only sitting chief minister of an Indian state to have been killed during a war. Mehta was born and raised in Bhavnagar and studied at Gujarat College, Ahmedabad where he developed anti-colonial views and refused to take his bachelor's degree (BA) upon graduation from a "foreign government". Wikipedia →
Jivraj Mehta
1 May 1960 – 19 Sep 1963 · 3 years, 4 months · 2 terms
Jivraj Narayan Mehta (29 August 1887 – 7 November 1978) was an Indian politician and the first Chief Minister of Gujarat. He also served as the first "Dewan" (Prime Minister) of the erstwhile Baroda state, and Indian high commissioner to the United Kingdom from 1963 to 1966. Wikipedia →
Full timeline
Every term and every President's or Governor's Rule interval, most recent first.
| 12 Dec 2022 – present | Bhupendra Patel | BJP | 3 years, 8 months |
| 13 Sep 2021 – 12 Dec 2022 | Bhupendra Patel | BJP | 1 year, 2 months |
| 26 Dec 2017 – 13 Sep 2021 | Vijay Rupani | BJP | 3 years, 8 months |
| 7 Aug 2016 – 26 Dec 2017 | Vijay Rupani | BJP | 1 year, 4 months |
| 22 May 2014 – 7 Aug 2016 | Anandiben Patel | BJP | 2 years, 2 months |
| 20 Dec 2012 – 22 May 2014 | Narendra Modi | BJP | 1 year, 5 months |
| 23 Dec 2007 – 20 Dec 2012 | Narendra Modi | BJP | 4 years, 11 months |
| 22 Dec 2002 – 22 Dec 2007 | Narendra Modi | BJP | 5 years |
| 7 Oct 2001 – 22 Dec 2002 | Narendra Modi | BJP | 1 year, 2 months |
| 4 Mar 1998 – 7 Oct 2001 | Keshubhai Patel | BJP | 3 years, 7 months |
| 27 Oct 1997 – 4 Mar 1998 | Dilip Parikh | RJP | 4 months |
| 23 Oct 1996 – 27 Oct 1997 | Shankersinh Vaghela | RJP | 1 year |
| 19 Sep 1996 – 23 Oct 1996 | President's / Governor's Rule — President's Rule | 1 month | |
| 21 Oct 1995 – 19 Sep 1996 | Suresh Mehta | BJP | 10 months |
| 14 Mar 1995 – 21 Oct 1995 | Keshubhai Patel | BJP | 7 months |
| 17 Feb 1994 – 14 Mar 1995 | Chhabildas Mehta | INC | 1 year |
| 25 Oct 1990 – 17 Feb 1994 | Chimanbhai Patel | INC | 3 years, 3 months |
| 4 Mar 1990 – 25 Oct 1990 | Chimanbhai Patel | JD | 7 months |
| 10 Dec 1989 – 4 Mar 1990 | Madhav Singh Solanki | INC | 2 months |
| 6 Jul 1985 – 10 Dec 1989 | Amarsinh Chaudhary | INC | 4 years, 5 months |
| 11 Mar 1985 – 6 Jul 1985 | Madhav Singh Solanki | INC | 3 months |
| 7 Jun 1980 – 10 Mar 1985 | Madhav Singh Solanki | INC | 4 years, 9 months |
| 17 Feb 1980 – 7 Jun 1980 | President's / Governor's Rule — President's Rule | 3 months | |
| 11 Apr 1977 – 17 Feb 1980 | Babubhai J. Patel | JNP | 2 years, 10 months |
| 24 Dec 1976 – 11 Apr 1977 | Madhav Singh Solanki | INC | 3 months |
| 12 Mar 1976 – 24 Dec 1976 | President's / Governor's Rule — President's Rule | 9 months | |
| 18 Jun 1975 – 12 Mar 1976 | Babubhai J. Patel | INCO | 8 months |
| 9 Feb 1974 – 18 Jun 1975 | President's / Governor's Rule — President's Rule | 1 year, 4 months | |
| 17 Jul 1973 – 9 Feb 1974 | Chimanbhai Patel | INC | 6 months |
| 17 Mar 1972 – 17 Jul 1973 | Ghanshyam Oza | INC | 1 year, 4 months |
| 13 May 1971 – 17 Mar 1972 | President's / Governor's Rule — President's Rule | 10 months | |
| 12 Nov 1969 – 13 May 1971 | Hitendra Desai | INCO | 1 year, 6 months |
| 3 Apr 1967 – 12 Nov 1969 | Hitendra Desai | INC | 2 years, 7 months |
| 19 Sep 1965 – 3 Apr 1967 | Hitendra Desai | INC | 1 year, 6 months |
| 19 Sep 1963 – 19 Sep 1965 | Balwantrai Mehta | INC | 2 years |
| 8 Mar 1962 – 19 Sep 1963 | Jivraj Mehta | INC | 1 year, 6 months |
| 1 May 1960 – 8 Mar 1962 | Jivraj Mehta | INC | 1 year, 10 months |
Frequently asked
Straight answers to the questions this page exists to answer.
Who is the current Chief Minister of Gujarat?
Bhupendra Patel, in office since 13 Sep 2021 — 4 years, 11 months so far.
How many Chief Ministers has Gujarat had?
17 people have held the office across 32 terms, from formation to today.
Who has served the longest as Chief Minister of Gujarat?
Narendra Modi, 12 years, 7 months in total across 4 terms.
Has Gujarat ever been under President's Rule?
Yes — Gujarat has been placed under President's or Governor's Rule 5 times.
The Wikipedia article title for Bhupendra Patel is 'Bhupendrabhai Patel'. Shankersinh Vaghela's and Dilip Parikh's party (a breakaway from BJP, floated by Vaghela) is variously called 'Rashtriya Janata Party' in Gujarat sources; abbreviated here as RJP to avoid confusion with Bihar's Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
