List of chief ministers of Kerala
The Chief Minister of Kerala is the chief executive of the Indian state of Kerala. In accordance with the Constitution of India, the governor is a state's de jure head, but de facto executive authority rests with the chief minister. Following elections to the Kerala Legislative Assembly, the state's governor usually invites the party (or coalition) with a majority of seats to form the government. The governor appoints the chief minister, whose council of ministers are collectively responsible to the assembly. Given that he has the confidence of the assembly, the chief minister's term is for five years and is subject to no term limits.[1]
Chief Minister of Kerala | |
---|---|
![]() Seal of the Government of Kerala | |
Style | The Honourable |
Status | Head of Government |
Member of | Kerala Legislature (Assembly Cabinet) |
Residence | Cliff House, Thiruvananthapuram |
Seat | Kerala Niyamasabha |
Appointer | Governor of Kerala |
Term length | 5 years |
Precursor | Prime Minister of Travancore Prime Minister of Cochin Chief Ministers of Travancore-Cochin |
Inaugural holder | E. M. S. Namboodiripad (1957–1959) |
Formation | 5 April 1957 |
Website | CMO Kerala |
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The origins of Kerala lie in the princely states of Travancore and Cochin. Following India's independence from the British Raj in 1947, these states' monarchs instituted a measure of representative government, headed by a Prime Minister and his Council of Ministers. On 1 July 1949 Travancore and Cochin were merged to form Travancore-Cochin state. On 1 November 1956, the States Reorganisation Act redrew India's map along linguistic lines, and the present-day state of Kerala was born, consisting solely of Malayalam-speaking districts. Since then, 12 people have served as the Chief Minister of Kerala. The first was E. M. S. Namboodiripad of the Communist Party of India, whose tenure was cut short by the imposition of President's rule. Kerala has come under President's rule for four years over seven terms, the last of them in 1982. Since then the office has alternated between leaders of the Indian National Congress and of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). The latter party's Pinarayi Vijayan is the incumbent chief minister; his Left Democratic Front government has been in office since 25 May 2016.
Colour key for parties
Precursors
Prime Ministers of Travancore
No.[lower-alpha 1] | Name | Portrait | Term[2][3] (tenure length) |
Assembly (election) |
Party | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
From | To | Days in office | ||||||
1 | Pattom Thanu Pillai | 24 March 1948 | 17 October 1948 | 210 days | Representative Body (1948–49) | Indian National Congress | ||
2 | Paravoor T. K. Narayana Pillai | 22 October 1948 | 1 July 1949 | 253 days | ||||
Prime Ministers of Cochin
No.[lower-alpha 1] | Name | Portrait | Term[2] (tenure length) |
Assembly (election) |
Party | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
From | To | Days in office | ||||||
1 | Panampilly Govinda Menon | 14 August 1947 | 22 October 1947 | 51 days | Sixth Council (1945–48) | None | ||
2 | T. K. Nair | 27 October 1947 | 20 September 1948 | 334 days | ||||
3 | E. Ikkanda Warrier | ![]() |
20 September 1948 | 30 June 1949 | 283 days | Legislative Assembly (1948–49) | ||
Chief Ministers of Travancore-Cochin
After India's independence in 1947, Travancore and Cochin were merged to form Travancore-Cochin on 1 July 1949. On 1 January 1950, Travancore-Cochin was recognised as a state.
No.[lower-alpha 1] | Name | Portrait | Term[2] (tenure length) |
Assembly (election) |
Party[lower-alpha 2] | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
From | To | Days in office | ||||||
1 | Paravoor T. K. Narayana Pillai | 1 July 1949 | 1 March 1951 | 1 year, 243 days | First Assembly (1949–51) | Indian National Congress | ||
2 | C. Kesavan | ![]() |
3 March 1951 | 12 March 1952 | 1 year, 11 days | |||
3 | A. J. John | 12 March 1952 | 16 March 1954 | 2 years, 4 days | Second Assembly (1952–53) (1951 election) | |||
4 | Pattom Thanu Pillai | 16 March 1954 | 10 February 1955 | 331 days | Third Assembly (1954–56) (1954 election) |
Praja Socialist Party | ||
5 | Panampilly Govinda Menon | 10 February 1955 | 23 March 1956 | 1 year, 42 days | Indian National Congress | |||
– | Vacant[lower-alpha 3] (President's rule) |
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23 March 1956 | 31 October 1956 | 222 days | Dissolved | N/A | |
Chief Ministers of Kerala
The Government of India's 1 November 1956 States Reorganisation Act inaugurated the new Kerala state, incorporating Malabar District, Travancore-Cochin (excluding 4 southern taluks which were merged with Tamil Nadu), and the Kasaragod taluk of South Kanara district. A new Legislative Assembly was also created, for which elections were held in 1957.
No.[lower-alpha 1] | Name[5] Ministry |
Portrait | Constituency | Term[6][7] (tenure length) |
Assembly[8] (election) |
Party[lower-alpha 2] (alliance) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
From | To | Days in office | |||||||
– | Vacant[lower-alpha 3] (President's rule) |
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N/A | 1 November 1956 | 5 April 1957 | 155 days | Dissolved | N/A | |
1 | E. M. S. Namboodiripad 1st EMS ministry |
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Nileshwaram | 5 April 1957 | 31 July 1959 | 2 years, 117 days | First Assembly (1957–59) (1957 election) |
Communist Party of India | |
– | Vacant[lower-alpha 3] (President's rule) |
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N/A | 31 July 1959 | 22 February 1960 | 206 days | Dissolved | N/A | |
2 | Pattom A. Thanu Pillai Thanupillai ministry |
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Trivandrum II | 22 February 1960 | 26 September 1962 | 2 years, 216 days | Second Assembly (1960–64) (1960 election) |
Praja Socialist Party | |
3 | R. Sankar Sankar ministry |
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Cannanore I | 26 September 1962 | 10 September 1964 | 1 year, 350 days | Indian National Congress | ||
– | Vacant[lower-alpha 3] (President's rule) |
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N/A | 10 September 1964 | 25 March 1965 | 2 years, 177 days | Dissolved | N/A | |
25 March 1965 | 6 March 1967 | 2 years, 177 days | Dissolved (1965 election)[lower-alpha 4] | ||||||
(1) | E. M. S. Namboodiripad 2nd EMS ministry |
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Pattambi | 6 March 1967 | 1 November 1969 | 2 years, 240 days; (total 4 years, 357 days) |
Third Assembly (1967–70) (1967 election) |
Communist Party of India (Marxist) (Saptakakshi Munnani) |
|
4 | C. Achutha Menon 1st Achutha Menon ministry |
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Kottarakkara | 1 November 1969 | 1 August 1970 | 273 days | Communist Party of India | ||
– | Vacant[lower-alpha 3] (President's rule) |
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N/A | 4 August 1970 | 3 October 1970 | 60 days | Dissolved | N/A | |
(4) | C. Achutha Menon 2nd Achutha Menon ministry |
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Kodakara | 4 October 1970 | 25 March 1977 | 6 years, 172 days; (total 7 years, 80 days) |
Fourth Assembly (1970–77) (1970 election) |
Communist Party of India (United Front) |
|
5 | K. Karunakaran 1st Karunakaran ministry |
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Mala | 25 March 1977 | 25 April 1977 | 31 days | Fifth Assembly (1977–79) (1977 election) |
Indian National Congress (United Front) |
|
6 | A. K. Antony 1st Antony ministry |
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Kazhakkuttom | 27 April 1977 | 27 October 1978 | 1 year, 183 days | |||
7 | P. K. Vasudevan Nair PKV ministry |
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Alleppey | 29 October 1978 | 7 October 1979 | 343 days | Communist Party of India (United Front) |
||
8 | C. H. Mohammed Koya Koya ministry |
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Malappuram | 12 October 1979 | 1 December 1979 | 50 days | Indian Union Muslim League (United Front) |
||
– | Vacant[lower-alpha 3] (President's rule) |
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N/A | 5 December 1979 | 25 January 1980 | 51 days | Dissolved | N/A | |
9 | E. K. Nayanar 1st Nayanar ministry |
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Malampuzha | 25 January 1980 | 20 October 1981 | 1 year, 268 days | Sixth Assembly (1980–82) (1980 election) |
Communist Party of India (Marxist) (Left Democratic Front) |
|
– | Vacant[lower-alpha 3] (President's rule) |
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N/A | 21 October 1981 | 28 December 1981 | 68 days | N/A | ||
(5) | K. Karunakaran 2nd Karunakaran ministry |
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Mala | 28 December 1981 | 17 March 1982 | 79 days | Indian National Congress (I) (United Democratic Front) |
||
– | Vacant[lower-alpha 3] (President's rule) |
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N/A | 17 March 1982 | 23 May 1982 | 67 days; (total 4 years, 54 days) |
Dissolved | N/A | |
(5) | K. Karunakaran 3rd Karunakaran ministry |
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Mala | 24 May 1982 | 25 March 1987 | 4 years, 305 days | Seventh Assembly (1982–87) (1982 election) |
Indian National Congress (United Democratic Front) |
|
(9) | E. K. Nayanar 2nd Nayanar ministry |
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Trikaripur | 26 March 1987 | 17 June 1991 | 4 years, 83 days | Eighth Assembly (1987–91) (1987 election) |
Communist Party of India (Marxist) (Left Democratic Front) |
|
(5) | K. Karunakaran 4th Karunakaran ministry |
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Mala | 24 June 1991 | 16 March 1995 | 3 years, 265 days; (total 8 years, 315 days) |
Ninth Assembly (1991–96) (1991 election) |
Indian National Congress (United Democratic Front) |
|
(6) | A. K. Antony 2nd Antony ministry |
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Thirurangadi | 22 March 1995 | 9 May 1996 | 1 year, 48 days | |||
(9) | E. K. Nayanar 3rd Nayanar ministry |
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Thalassery | 20 May 1996 | 13 May 2001 | 5 years, 24 days; (total 11 years, 10 days) |
Tenth Assembly (1996–2001) (1996 election) |
Communist Party of India (Marxist) (Left Democratic Front) |
|
(6) | A. K. Antony 3rd Antony ministry |
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Cherthala | 17 May 2001 | 29 August 2004 | 3 years, 75 days; (total 5 years, 306 days) |
Eleventh Assembly (2001–06) (2001 election) |
Indian National Congress (United Democratic Front) |
|
10 | Oommen Chandy 1st Chandy ministry |
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Puthuppally | 31 August 2004 | 12 May 2006 | 1 year, 254 days | |||
11 | V. S. Achuthanandan Achuthanandan ministry |
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Malampuzha | 18 May 2006 | 14 May 2011 | 4 years, 361 days | Twelfth Assembly (2006–11) (2006 election) |
Communist Party of India (Marxist) (Left Democratic Front) |
|
(10) | Oommen Chandy 2nd Chandy ministry |
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Puthuppally | 18 May 2011 | 20 May 2016 | 5 years, 2 days; (total 6 years, 256 days) |
Thirteenth Assembly (2011–16) (2011 election) |
Indian National Congress (United Democratic Front) |
|
12 | Pinarayi Vijayan Vijayan ministry |
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Dharmadam | 25 May 2016 | Incumbent | 4 years, 260 days | Fourteenth Assembly (2016–21) (2016 election) |
Communist Party of India (Marxist) (Left Democratic Front) |
|
See also
- Kerala Council of Ministers
- Deputy Chief Ministers of Kerala
Notes
Footnotes
- A parenthetical number indicates that the incumbent has previously held office.
- This column only names the chief minister's party. The state government he headed may have been a complex coalition of several parties and independents; these are not listed here.
- When President's rule is in force in a state, its council of ministers stands dissolved. The office of chief minister thus lies vacant. At times, the legislative assembly also stands dissolved.[4]
- As the 1965 election did not deliver a clear mandate in favour of any party or coalition, no assembly was convened, and President's rule was re-imposed.
References
- Durga Das Basu. Introduction to the Constitution of India. 1960. 20th Edition, 2011 Reprint. pp. 241, 245. LexisNexis Butterworths Wadhwa Nagpur. ISBN 978-81-8038-559-9. Note: although the text talks about Indian state governments in general, it applies for the specific case of Kerala as well.
- Responsible Governments (1947–56). Kerala Legislature. Retrieved on 22 April 2014.
- History of Kerala Legislature. Government of Kerala. Archived on 6 October 2014.
- Amberish K. Diwanji. "A dummy's guide to President's rule". Rediff.com. 15 March 2005.
- Chief Ministers, Ministers and Leaders of Opposition in Kerala. Secretariat of the Kerala Legislature. Retrieved on 28 August 2018.
- Chief Ministers of Kerala since 1957. Kerala Legislature. Retrieved on 22 April 2014.
- President's rule in Kerala. Kerala Legislature. Retrieved on 22 April 2014.
- Duration of Each Assembly. Kerala Legislature. Retrieved on 22 April 2014.
External links
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