Chief Ministers of West Bengal
9 people have held the office, across 12 terms, from formation to today.
Every Chief Minister
Most recent first, with a short biography where one is available.
Suvendu Adhikari
Incumbent9 May 2026 – present · 4 months
Suvendu Adhikari (Śubhēndu Adhikārī, Bengali pronunciation: [ʃubʱend̪u od̪ʱikaɾi]; born 15 December 1970) is an Indian politician who is serving as the 9th Chief Minister of West Bengal since 9 May 2026. He is the first chief minister of West Bengal belonging to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He is the second chief minister from Medinipur after Ajoy Mukherjee. Wikipedia →
Mamata Banerjee
20 May 2011 – 7 May 2026 · 14 years, 11 months
Mamata Banerjee (Bengali pronunciation: [ˈmɔmot̪aˑ ˈbɔnd̪ːoˌpad̪ːʱae̯] ; born 5 January 1955) is an Indian politician and lawyer who served as the eighth chief minister of West Bengal from 2011 to 2026. She was the first and only woman to hold that office. Being the founder and president of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), she previously served as a Union Cabinet Minister. Wikipedia →
6 Nov 2000 – 20 May 2011 · 10 years, 6 months
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee (1 March 1944 – 8 August 2024) was an Indian communist politician, statesman and a member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), who served as the 7th Chief Minister of West Bengal from 2000 to 2011. In a political career over five decades, he became one of the senior leaders of Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) during his regime. Bhattacharjee described himself as a "communist compromising with capitalism" for promoting industrialisation in West Bengal, but his efforts were undermined by controversies. Wikipedia →
21 Jun 1977 – 6 Nov 2000 · 23 years, 4 months
Jyoti Basu (born Jyotirindra Basu or Jyoti Bose; 8 July 1914 – 17 January 2010) was an Indian Marxist theorist, communist activist, and politician. He was one of the most prominent leaders of the Communist movement in India. He served as the 6th and longest serving Chief Minister of West Bengal from 1977 to 2000. Wikipedia →
20 Mar 1972 – 30 Apr 1977 · 5 years, 1 month
Siddhartha Shankar Ray (20 October 1920 – 6 November 2010) was an Indian lawyer, diplomat and Indian National Congress politician from West Bengal. In his political career he held a number of offices, including Chief Minister of West Bengal (1972–77), Union Minister of Education (1971–72), Governor of Punjab (1986–89) and Indian Ambassador to the United States (1992–96). He was, at one point, the main troubleshooter for the Congress Party. Wikipedia →
1 Mar 1967 – 29 Jun 1971 · 2 years, 4 months · 3 terms
Ajoy Kumar Mukherjee (15 April 1901 – 27 May 1986) was an Indian independence activist and politician who served three short terms as the Chief Minister of West Bengal. He hailed from Tamluk, Purba Medinipur district, West Bengal. Wikipedia →
2 Jul 1962 – 1 Mar 1967 · 4 years, 7 months
Prafulla Chandra Sen (10 April 1897 – 25 September 1990) was an Indian politician and independence activist who was Chief Minister of West Bengal from 1962 to 1967. Wikipedia →
23 Jan 1948 – 1 Jul 1962 · 14 years, 5 months
Bidhan Chandra Roy (1 July 1882 – 1 July 1962) was an Indian physician and politician who served as Chief Minister of West Bengal from 1950 until his death in 1962. He played a key role in the founding of several institutions and cities like Salt Lake (now a part of Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation), Kalyani, Durgapur and Ashoknagar Kalyangarh. In India, the National Doctors' Day is celebrated in his memory every year on 1 July. Wikipedia →
15 Aug 1947 – 20 Feb 1968 · 8 months · 2 terms
Prafulla Chandra Ghosh (24 December 1891 – 18 December 1983) was the first Premier of West Bengal, India from 15 August 1947 to 14 August 1948. He also served as the Chief Minister of West Bengal in the "Progressive Democratic Alliance Front" government from 21 November 1967 to 20 February 1968. Wikipedia →
Full timeline
Every term and every President's or Governor's Rule interval, most recent first.
| 9 May 2026 – present | Suvendu Adhikari | BJP | 4 months |
| 7 May 2026 – 9 May 2026 | President's / Governor's Rule — Brief Governor's Rule after BJP's 2026 assembly win, until Suvendu Adhikari sworn in | 2 days | |
| 20 May 2011 – 7 May 2026 | Mamata Banerjee | AITC | 14 years, 11 months |
| 6 Nov 2000 – 20 May 2011 | Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee | CPM | 10 years, 6 months |
| 21 Jun 1977 – 6 Nov 2000 | Jyoti Basu | CPM | 23 years, 4 months |
| 30 Apr 1977 – 21 Jun 1977 | President's / Governor's Rule — President's Rule | 1 month | |
| 20 Mar 1972 – 30 Apr 1977 | Siddhartha Shankar Ray | INC | 5 years, 1 month |
| 29 Jun 1971 – 20 Mar 1972 | President's / Governor's Rule — President's Rule | 8 months | |
| 2 Apr 1971 – 29 Jun 1971 | Ajoy Mukherjee | INC | 2 months |
| 30 Jul 1970 – 2 Apr 1971 | President's / Governor's Rule — President's Rule | 8 months | |
| 25 Feb 1969 – 30 Jul 1970 | Ajoy Mukherjee | BAC | 1 year, 5 months |
| 20 Feb 1968 – 25 Feb 1969 | President's / Governor's Rule — President's Rule | 1 year | |
| 21 Nov 1967 – 20 Feb 1968 | Prafulla Chandra Ghosh | IND | 2 months |
| 1 Mar 1967 – 21 Nov 1967 | Ajoy Mukherjee | BAC | 8 months |
| 2 Jul 1962 – 1 Mar 1967 | Prafulla Chandra Sen | INC | 4 years, 7 months |
| 23 Jan 1948 – 1 Jul 1962 | Bidhan Chandra Roy | INC | 14 years, 5 months |
| 15 Aug 1947 – 23 Jan 1948 | Prafulla Chandra Ghosh | INC | 5 months |
Head-of-government title was 'Premier' 1947-1950, then 'Chief Minister'. Independently verified BJP won the 2026 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election (207/294 seats) and Suvendu Adhikari was sworn in as CM on 9 May 2026, ending Mamata Banerjee's 15-year tenure. Ajoy Mukherjee's 3rd term end date has a 1-day source discrepancy, marked uncertain.