India has 31 Chief Ministers in office at any one time: one for each of the 28 states and one for each of the three Union Territories with an elected legislature (Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, and Puducherry). The 2026 assembly elections and two mid-term changes reshaped the list this year, so this page gives the current state-wise list as of November 2026, the constitutional basis of the office, and the facts UPSC and State PSC papers keep returning to.
Quick Answer
As of 14 November 2026, India has 31 Chief Ministers (28 states + Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir and Puducherry). The BJP heads the most governments. Changes in 2026: Samrat Choudhary (Bihar, 15 April), Suvendu Adhikari (West Bengal, 9 May, the state’s first BJP CM), C. Joseph Vijay (Tamil Nadu, 10 May), V. D. Satheesan (Kerala, 18 May), D. K. Shivakumar (Karnataka, 3 June) and Yumnam Khemchand Singh (Manipur, 4 February). Rekha Gupta (Delhi) is the only woman Chief Minister in office.
Current Chief Ministers of India: State-wise List (November 2026)
| State | Chief Minister | Party | In office since |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andhra Pradesh | N. Chandrababu Naidu | TDP | 12 June 2024 |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Pema Khandu | BJP | 17 July 2016 |
| Assam | Himanta Biswa Sarma | BJP | 10 May 2021 (second term from May 2026) |
| Bihar | Samrat Choudhary | BJP | 15 April 2026 |
| Chhattisgarh | Vishnu Deo Sai | BJP | 13 December 2023 |
| Goa | Pramod Sawant | BJP | 19 March 2019 |
| Gujarat | Bhupendra Patel | BJP | 13 September 2021 |
| Haryana | Nayab Singh Saini | BJP | 12 March 2024 |
| Himachal Pradesh | Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu | INC | 11 December 2022 |
| Jharkhand | Hemant Soren | JMM | 4 July 2024 |
| Karnataka | D. K. Shivakumar | INC | 3 June 2026 |
| Kerala (Keralam) | V. D. Satheesan | INC | 18 May 2026 |
| Madhya Pradesh | Mohan Yadav | BJP | 13 December 2023 |
| Maharashtra | Devendra Fadnavis | BJP | 5 December 2024 |
| Manipur | Yumnam Khemchand Singh | BJP | 4 February 2026 |
| Meghalaya | Conrad K. Sangma | NPP | 6 March 2018 |
| Mizoram | Lalduhoma | ZPM | 8 December 2023 |
| Nagaland | Neiphiu Rio | NPF | 8 March 2018 |
| Odisha | Mohan Charan Majhi | BJP | 12 June 2024 |
| Punjab | Bhagwant Mann | AAP | 16 March 2022 |
| Rajasthan | Bhajan Lal Sharma | BJP | 15 December 2023 |
| Sikkim | Prem Singh Tamang | SKM | 27 May 2019 |
| Tamil Nadu | C. Joseph Vijay | TVK | 10 May 2026 |
| Telangana | A. Revanth Reddy | INC | 7 December 2023 |
| Tripura | Manik Saha | BJP | 15 May 2022 |
| Uttar Pradesh | Yogi Adityanath | BJP | 19 March 2017 |
| Uttarakhand | Pushkar Singh Dhami | BJP | 4 July 2021 |
| West Bengal | Suvendu Adhikari | BJP | 9 May 2026 |
Union Territories with a Chief Minister
| Union Territory | Chief Minister | Party | In office since |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delhi (NCT) | Rekha Gupta | BJP | 20 February 2025 |
| Jammu and Kashmir | Omar Abdullah | JKNC | 16 October 2024 |
| Puducherry | N. Rangaswamy | AINRC | 7 May 2021 (re-elected May 2026) |
The other five Union Territories (Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Ladakh, Lakshadweep) have no legislature and are run by an Administrator or Lieutenant Governor appointed by the President under Article 239.
A note on Kerala: Parliament passed the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Act, 2026 (assent 14 August 2026) to rename the state Keralam. The new name takes effect from the date the Centre notifies, so official documents may use either name during the changeover.
Changes to the CM List in 2026
- Manipur (4 February): President’s Rule ended and Yumnam Khemchand Singh (BJP) became the 13th Chief Minister.
- Bihar (15 April): After Nitish Kumar’s long tenure ended, Samrat Choudhary became the first BJP Chief Minister of Bihar.
- West Bengal (9 May): The BJP won the 2026 election and Suvendu Adhikari was sworn in as the first BJP Chief Minister, ending 15 years of Trinamool Congress rule.
- Tamil Nadu (10 May): Actor-politician C. Joseph Vijay of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) became Chief Minister, the first from outside the DMK and AIADMK since 1967.
- Assam (May): Himanta Biswa Sarma returned for a second term.
- Kerala (18 May): The Congress-led UDF won and V. D. Satheesan became Chief Minister.
- Puducherry (May): N. Rangaswamy (AINRC) returned to office.
- Karnataka (3 June): D. K. Shivakumar succeeded Siddaramaiah as Congress Chief Minister.
Constitutional Position of the Chief Minister
The Constitution describes the office in a few short Articles; most of the Chief Minister’s real power comes from convention and from commanding a majority in the Legislative Assembly.
| Article | What it says |
|---|---|
| Article 163 | A Council of Ministers headed by the Chief Minister aids and advises the Governor, except where the Governor acts in discretion. |
| Article 164(1) | The Governor appoints the Chief Minister; other ministers are appointed on the CM’s advice and hold office during the Governor’s pleasure. |
| Article 164(1A) | Council of Ministers cannot exceed 15% of the Assembly’s strength, and cannot be fewer than 12 (added by the 91st Amendment, 2003). |
| Article 164(2) | The Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Legislative Assembly. |
| Article 164(4) | A non-member can be Chief Minister for up to six months, within which he or she must enter the legislature. |
| Article 167 | The CM must communicate Cabinet decisions to the Governor and give information the Governor asks for. |
Who can become Chief Minister?
Any person who is qualified to be a member of the state legislature: an Indian citizen of at least 25 years (Assembly) or 30 years (Legislative Council). In 1997 the Supreme Court held that a non-member can be appointed for six months, and a member of the Legislative Council can also be Chief Minister, as has happened in Bihar, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.
Records and Facts Asked in Exams
- Longest-serving CM ever: Pawan Kumar Chamling (Sikkim), about 24 years and 165 days (1994 to 2019).
- Longest-serving current CM: Neiphiu Rio (Nagaland), across several terms.
- First woman Chief Minister: Sucheta Kripalani (Uttar Pradesh, 1963).
- Only woman CM in office (November 2026): Rekha Gupta, Delhi.
- First BJP CM of West Bengal: Suvendu Adhikari (2026).
- First BJP CM of Bihar: Samrat Choudhary (2026).
- States that have never had a BJP Chief Minister: Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana (and the UTs of Jammu and Kashmir and Puducherry).
Chief Minister vs Governor: Who Holds Real Power?
The Governor is the constitutional (de jure) head of the state and the Chief Minister is the real (de facto) executive head. The Governor acts on ministerial advice except in matters left to discretion, such as choosing a Chief Minister when no party has a clear majority, recommending President’s Rule under Article 356, or reserving a Bill for the President under Article 200. The Supreme Court in S. R. Bommai v. Union of India (1994) held that majority must be tested on the floor of the House, not in the Governor’s residence. For a deeper treatment of the relationship, see our notes on the Constitution of India.
