List of chief ministers of Kerala

2021-11-05T07:44:09Z

2409:4052:239C:FC15:9BB8:96E:A3A4:B7B3: /* Statistics */

{{short description|Head of the government of the Indian state of Kerala}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox political post
| border = parliamentary
| minister = not_prime
| post = Chief Minister of Kerala
| insignia = File: Emblem of Kerala state Vector.svg
| insigniasize = 100px
| insigniacaption = Seal of the [[Government of Kerala]]
| image = Pinarayi Vijayan 1.jpg
| imagesize = 200px
| incumbent = [[Pinarayi Vijayan]]
| incumbentsince = 25 May 2016
| appointer = [[Governor of Kerala]]
| appointer_qualified =
| style = [[The Honourable]]
| status = [[Head of Government]]
| member_of = Kerala Legislature ([[Kerala Legislative Assembly|Assembly]] [[Government of Kerala|Cabinet]])
| termlength = At the Pleasure of the Governor of Kerala<ref name="Indiakanoon.org">{{cite web |title=Article 164 in constitution of India|url=https://indiankanoon.org/doc/578636/}}</ref>
| inaugural = [[E. M. S. Namboodiripad]] (1957–1959)
| formation = {{start date and age|df=yes|1957|04|05}}
| abbreviatio
REPORTS TO = GOVERNOR,MLAs
| residence = [[Cliff House (Kerala)|Cliff House]], Thiruvananthapuram
| seat = [[Kerala Government Secretariat]]
| precursor = Prime Minister of [[Travancore]] Prime Minister of [[Kingdom of Cochin]] Chief Minister of [[1952 Madras Legislative Assembly election|Madras]] Chief Ministers of [[Travancore-Cochin]]
| deputy =
| salary =
| website = {{URL|https://keralacm.gov.in/|CMO Kerala}}
| body =
}}

[[File:Cliff House Trivandrum.jpg|thumb|107x107px|alt=Photograph of Cliff House, a two-storey bungalow with a garden in the foreground|A 15,000 sq. ft building on 4.5 acres of land, [[Cliff House (Kerala)|Cliff House]] in Thiruvananthapuram is the [[official residence]] of the Chief Minister of Kerala.]]

The '''Chief Minister of Kerala''' is the [[head of government|chief executive]] of the [[Kerala]] state of [[India]]. In accordance with the [[Constitution of India]], the [[Governors of states of India|governor]] is a state's ''[[de jure]]'' head, but ''[[de facto]]'' executive authority rests with the [[Chief Minister (India)|chief minister]]. Following elections to the [[Kerala Legislative Assembly]], the [[Governor of Kerala|state's governor]] usually invites the party (or coalition) with a majority of seats to form the [[Government of Kerala|government]]. The governor appoints the chief minister, whose [[Cabinet (government)|council of ministers]] are [[Cabinet collective responsibility|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 limit]]s.<ref>[[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.</ref>

Following India's independence from the [[British Raj]] in 1947, the states' monarchs of [[Travancore]] and [[Kingdom of Cochin|Cochin]] 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. The [[Malabar District]] and [[Kasaragod district|Kasaragod]] region of [[South Canara]], which together constitute more than half of present state of Kerala, had their representatives in the [[1952 Madras Legislative Assembly election|Madras Legislative Assembly]].

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 regions, by merging [[Cochin]], [[Malabar District|Malabar]], and [[Travancore]] regions, and the [[Kasaragod district|Kasaragod]] region of [[South Canara]].<ref name="askh">{{cite book |last1=Sreedhara Menon |first1=A. |title=''Kerala Charitram'' |date=January 2007 |publisher=DC Books |location=Kottayam |isbn=978-81-264-1588-5 |edition=2007 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FAlXPgAACAAJ&q=%E0%B4%95%E0%B5%87%E0%B4%B0%E0%B4%B3+%E0%B4%9A%E0%B4%B0%E0%B4%BF%E0%B4%A4%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%B0%E0%B4%82}}</ref> The first [[1957 Kerala Legislative Assembly election|assembly election]] in [[Kerala]] state was held in February–March 1957.<ref name="askh"/> The first [[Kerala Legislative Assembly]] was formed on 5 April 1957. The Assembly had 127 members including a nominated member.<ref name="askh"/> 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 [[List of current Indian chief ministers|incumbent chief minister]]; his [[Left Democratic Front (Kerala)|Left Democratic Front]] government has been in office since 25 May 2016.

==Key==
{| class="toccolours" style="width:50em"
|-
|{{colbegin|colwidth=23em}}
{{legend|{{Communist Party of India/meta/color}}|[[Communist Party of India]]|outline=grey}}
{{legend|maroon|[[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]]|outline=grey}}
{{legend|{{Indian National Congress/meta/color}}|[[Indian National Congress]]|outline=grey}}
{{legend|{{Indian Union Muslim League/meta/color}}|[[Indian Union Muslim League]]|outline=grey}}
{{legend|{{Praja Socialist Party/meta/color}}|[[Praja Socialist Party]]|outline=grey}}
{{legend|White|N/A ([[President's rule]])|outline=grey}}
{{colend}}
|}
{{Col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
* №: Incumbent number
* {{note label|†|†|†}} Assassinated or died in office
* {{note label|§|§|§}} Returned to office after a previous non-consecutive term
* {{note label|RES|RES|RES}} Resigned
* {{note label|NC|NC|NC}} Resigned following a [[no-confidence motion]]
{{col-end}}

==Precursors==
===Prime Ministers of Travancore (1948-49)===
{| class="wikitable sortable" align="center"
! rowspan="2" | {{Abbr|No.|Number}}{{efn|A parenthetical number indicates that the incumbent has previously held office.}}
! rowspan="2" | Name
! rowspan=2| Portrait
! colspan="3" |Term of Office
! rowspan="2" |Party
! rowspan="2" |Assembly
! rowspan="2" |Appointed
by

(Monarch)
|-
!Took office
!Left office
!Tenure
|-
|- style="height: 60px;" align="center"
| 1
| [[Pattom Thanu Pillai]]
| [[File:Pattom A. Thanu Pillai.jpg|100x100px]]
| 24 March 1948
| 17 October 1948
| {{age in years and days|1948|3|24|1948|10|20}}
|rowspan=2| [[Indian National Congress]]
| rowspan="2" | Representative
Body

(1948–49)
| rowspan="2" |[[Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma|Sir Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, Maharaja of Travancore]]
|- style="height: 60px;"
| 2
| [[Paravoor T. K. Narayana Pillai]]
|
| 22 October 1948
| 1 July 1949
| {{age in years and days|1948|10|20|1949|6|30}}
|-
|}

===Prime Ministers of Cochin (1947-1949)===
{| class="wikitable sortable" align="center"
! rowspan="2" | {{Abbr|No.|Number}}{{efn|A parenthetical number indicates that the incumbent has previously held office.}}
! rowspan="2" | Name
! rowspan=2| Portrait
! colspan="3" |Term of Office
! rowspan="2" |Party
! rowspan="2" |Assembly
! rowspan="2" |Appointed
by

(Monarch)
|-
!Took office
!Left office
!Tenure
|-
|- style="height: 60px;" align="center"
| 1
| [[Panampilly Govinda Menon]]
| [[File:Panampilly statue.jpg|100x100px]]
| 14 August 1947
| 22 October 1947
| {{age in years and days|1947|9|1|1947|10|22}}
| rowspan="3" | Independent
| rowspan="2" |Sixth Council
(1945–48)
| rowspan="3" |[[Aikya Keralam Thampuran|Kerala Varma VII]],
[[Maharaja of Cochin]]
|- style="height: 60px;"
| 2
| T. K. Nair
|
| 27 October 1947
| 20 September 1948
| {{age in years and days|1947|10|22|1948|9|20}}

|- style="height: 60px;"
| 3
| [[E. Ikkanda Warrier]]
| [[File:Ikkanda variar.jpg|100x100px]]
| 20 September 1948
| 30 June 1949
| {{age in years and days|1948|9|20|1949|6|30}}
|Legislative
Assembly

(1948–49)
|-
|}

===Chief Ministers of Madras (1947-1956)===
More than half of the present-day state of [[Kerala]] was included in the districts of [[Malabar District|Malabar]] and [[South Canara]] in the erstwhile state of [[Madras State|Madras]] until the [[States Reorganisation Act, 1956]].<ref name="askh"/> These regions had their representatives in the [[1952 Madras Legislative Assembly election|legislative assembly of Madras]].<ref name="askh"/>
{| class="wikitable sortable" align="center"
! rowspan="2" | {{Abbr|No.|Number}}{{efn|A parenthetical number indicates that the incumbent has previously held office.}}
! rowspan="2" | Name
! rowspan=2| Portrait
! colspan="3" |Term of Office
! rowspan="2" |Party
! rowspan="2" |Assembly
! rowspan="2" |Appointed
by

(Governor)
|-
!Took office
!Left office
!Tenure
|-
|- style="height: 60px;" align="center"
| 1
| [[O. P. Ramaswamy Reddiyar]]
| [[File:OP Ramaswamy Reddiyar 2010 stamp of India.jpg|100x100px]]
| 23 March 1947<ref name="m_1">{{Cite news|title=Tamil Nadu's first CM Omandur P Ramaswamy Reddiyar's birth anniversary to be celebrated on February 1|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2018/jan/25/tamil-nadus-first-cm-omandur-p-ramaswamy-reddiyars-birth-anniversary-to-be-celebrated-on-february-1763053.html|last=Express News Service|date=25 January 2018|work=The New Indian Express}}</ref>
| 6 April 1949<ref name="m_1"/>
| {{age in years and days|1947|3|23|1949|4|6}}
|rowspan=4| [[Indian National Congress]]
| rowspan="2" |[[1946 Madras Presidency Legislative Assembly election|1946 Legislative Assembly]]
| rowspan="4" |[[Governor (India)|Governor]]
|- style="height: 60px;"
| 2
| [[P. S. Kumaraswamy Raja]]
| [[File:PS Kumaraswamy Raja 1999 stamp of India.jpg|100x100px]]
| 6 April 1949
| 9 April 1952
| {{age in years and days|1949|4|6|1952|4|9}}
|- style="height: 60px;"
| 3
| [[C. Rajagopalachari]]
| [[File:Chakravarthi Rajagopalachari.jpg|100x100px]]
| 10 April 1952
| 13 April 1954
| {{age in years and days|1952|4|10|1954|4|13}}
| rowspan="2" |[[1952 Madras Legislative Assembly election|1952 Legislative Assembly]]
|- style="height: 60px;"
| 4
| [[K. Kamaraj]]
| [[File:K Kamaraj 1976 stamp of India.jpg|100x100px]]
| 13 April 1954
| 31 October 1956
| {{age in years and days|1954|4|13|1956|10|31}}
|}

===Chief Ministers of Travancore-Cochin (1949-1956)===
After India's [[Indian Independence Movement|independence]] in 1947, [[Travancore]] and [[Kingdom of Cochin|Cochin]] were merged to form [[Travancore-Cochin]] on 1 July 1949. On 1 January 1950, Travancore-Cochin was recognised as a state.

{| class="wikitable sortable" align="center"
! rowspan="2" | {{Abbr|No.|Number}}{{efn|A parenthetical number indicates that the incumbent has previously held office.}}
! rowspan="2" | Name
! rowspan=2| Portrait
! colspan="3" |Term of Office
! rowspan="2" |Party
! rowspan="2" |Assembly
! rowspan="2" |Appointed
by

([[Rajpramukh]])
|-
!Took office
!Left office
!Tenure
|-
|- style="height: 60px;" align="center"
| 1
| [[Paravoor T. K. Narayana Pillai]]
|
| 1 July 1949
| 1 March 1951
| {{age in years and days|1949|7|1|1951|3|1}}
|rowspan=3| [[Indian National Congress]]
| rowspan="2" | 1st Assembly
(1949–51)
| rowspan="5" |[[Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma|Sir Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma]],
[[Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma|Maharaja of Travancore]]
|- style="height: 60px;"
| 2
| [[C. Kesavan]]
| [[File:C Kesavan.jpg|100x100px]]
| 3 March 1951
| 12 March 1952
| {{age in years and days|1951|3|1|1952|3|12}}

|- style="height: 60px;"
| 3
| [[A. J. John|Anaparambil Joseph John]]
|
| 12 March 1952
| 16 March 1954
| {{age in years and days|1952|3|12|1954|3|16}}
| 2nd Assembly
(1952–53) ([[1951 Travancore-Cochin Legislative Assembly election|1951 election]])

|- style="height: 60px;"
| 4
| [[Pattom Thanu Pillai]]
| [[File:Pattom A. Thanu Pillai.jpg|100x100px]]
| 16 March 1954
| 10 February 1955
| {{age in years and days|1954|3|16|1955|2|10}}
| [[Praja Socialist Party]]
| rowspan="2" | 3rd Assembly
(1954–56) ([[1954 Travancore-Cochin Legislative Assembly election|1954 election]])

|- style="height: 60px;"
| 5
| [[Panampilly Govinda Menon]]
| [[File:Panampilly statue.jpg|100x100px]]
| 10 February 1955
| 23 March 1956
| {{age in years and days|1955|2|10|1956|3|23}}
| [[Indian National Congress]]

|- style="height: 60px;"
| -
|scope="row"| ''Vacant''{{efn|name=PR|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.<ref>Amberish K. Diwanji. "[http://www.rediff.co.in/news/2005/mar/15spec1.htm A dummy's guide to President's rule]". [[Rediff.com]]. 15 March 2005.</ref>}} ([[President's rule]])
| [[File:Emblem_of_India.svg|100x100px]]
| 23 March 1956
| 31 October 1956
| {{age in years and days|1956|3|23|1956|10|31}}
| N/A
| ''Dissolved''
| N/A
|-
|}

== List of 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 and [[Sengottai]] Taluk which were merged with [[Tamil Nadu]]), and the [[Kasaragod taluk|Kasaragod]] taluk of [[South Kanara]] district. A new Legislative Assembly was also created, for which elections were held in 1957.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! colspan="10" |Chief Ministers of Kerala
|-
! rowspan="2" |No
! rowspan="2" |Name
{{small|(birth-death)}}
! rowspan="2" |Portrait
! rowspan="2" |Constituency
! colspan="3" |Term of office
! colspan="2" rowspan="2" |Party
{{small|(Alliance)}}
! rowspan="2" |Assembly
|-
!Took office
!Left office
!Duration
|- style="height: 60px;" align="center"
| –
| Vacant{{efn|name=PR}} ([[President's rule]])
| [[File:Emblem of India.svg|100x100px]]
| N/A
| 1 November 1956
| 5 April 1957
| {{age in years and days|1956|11|1|1957|4|5}}
| N/A
| width="4px" style="background-color: white" |
| ''Dissolved''
|-
|- style="text-align:center
| 1
| [[E. M. S. Namboothiripad|Elamkulam Manakkal Sankaran Namboodiripad]] {{small|(1909-1998)}}
| [[File:EMS_Namboodiripad_2001_stamp_of_India.jpg|100x100px]]
| [[Thrikaripur (State Assembly constituency)|Nileshwaram]]
| 5 April 1957
| 31 July 1959
| {{age in years and days|1957|4|5|1959|7|31}}
| [[Communist Party of India]]
| width="4px" style="background-color: {{Communist Party of India/meta/color}}"|
| 1st Assembly
(1957–59) ([[1957 Kerala Legislative Assembly election|1957 election]])
|-
|- style="text-align:center
| –
| Vacant{{efn|name=PR}} ([[President's rule]])
| [[File:Emblem of India.svg|100x100px]]
| N/A
| 31 July 1959
| 22 February 1960
| {{age in years and days|1959|7|31|1960|2|22}}
| N/A
| width="4px" style="background-color: white" |
| ''Dissolved''
|- style="height: 130px;"
|- style="text-align:center
| 2
| [[Pattom A. Thanu Pillai|Pattom Thanu Pillai]] {{small|(1885-1970)}}
| [[File:Pattom A. Thanu Pillai.jpg|100x100px]]
|[[Vattiyoorkavu (State Assembly constituency)|Trivandrum II]]
| 22 February 1960
| 26 September 1962
| {{age in years and days|1960|2|22|1962|9|26}}
| [[Praja Socialist Party]]
| width="4px" style="background-color: {{Praja Socialist Party/meta/color}}" |
| rowspan="2" | 2nd Assembly
(1960–64) ([[1960 Kerala Legislative Assembly election|1960 election]])
|-
|- style="text-align:center
| 3
| [[R. Sankar|Raman Sankar]] {{small|(1909-1972)}}
| [[File:R. Sankar.jpg|100x100px]]
| [[Kannur (State Assembly constituency)|Cannanore I]]
| 26 September 1962
| 10 September 1964
| {{age in years and days|1962|9|26|1964|9|10}}
| [[Indian National Congress]]
| style="background-color: {{Indian National Congress/meta/color}}" |
|-
|- style="text-align:center
|rowspan=2| –
|rowspan=2| Vacant{{efn|name=PR}} ([[President's rule]])
|rowspan=2| [[File:Emblem of India.svg|100x100px]]
|rowspan=2| N/A
| 10 September 1964
| 25 March 1965
| {{age in years and days|1964|9|10|1967|3|6}}
| rowspan="2" | N/A
| rowspan="2" width="4px" style="background-color: white" |
| ''Dissolved''
|-
|- style="text-align:center
| 25 March 1965
| 6 March 1967
| {{age in years and days|1964|9|10|1967|3|6}}
| ''Dissolved'' ([[1965 Kerala Legislative Assembly election|1965 election]]){{efn|As the [[1965 Kerala Legislative Assembly election|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.}}
|-
|- style="text-align:center
| (1)
| [[E. M. S. Namboodiripad|Elamkulam Manakkal Sankaran Namboodiripad]] {{small|(1909-1998)}}
| [[File:EMS_Namboodiripad_2001_stamp_of_India.jpg|100x100px]]
| [[Pattambi (State Assembly constituency)|Pattambi]]
| 6 March 1967
| 1 November 1969
| {{age in years and days|1967|3|6|1969|11|1}}; (total 4 years, 357 days)
| [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]] {{small|([[Saptakakshi Munnani]])}}
| width="4px" style="background-color: {{Communist Party of India (Marxist)/meta/color}}" |
| rowspan="2" | 3rd Assembly
(1967–70) ([[1967 Kerala Legislative Assembly election|1967 election]])
|- style="height: 130px;"
|- style="text-align:center
| 4
| [[C. Achutha Menon|Chelat Achutha Menon]] {{small|(1913-1991)}}
| [[File:C. Achutha Menon.jpg|100x100px]]
| [[Kottarakkara (State Assembly constituency)|Kottarakkara]]
| 1 November 1969
| 3 August 1970
| {{age in years and days|1969|11|1|1970|8|3}}
| [[Communist Party of India]]
| width="4px" style="background-color: {{Communist Party of India/meta/color}}" |
|-
|- style="text-align:center
| –
| Vacant{{efn|name=PR}} ([[President's rule]])
| [[File:Emblem of India.svg|100x100px]]
| N/A
| 4 August 1970
| 3 October 1970
| {{age in years and days|1970|8|4|1970|10|3}}
| N/A
| width="4px" style="background-color: white" |
| ''Dissolved''
|- style="height: 130px;"
|- style="text-align:center
| (4)
| [[C. Achutha Menon|Chelat Achutha Menon]] {{small|(1913-1991)}}
| [[File:C. Achutha Menon.jpg|100x100px]]
| [[Puthukkad (State Assembly constituency)|Kodakara]]
| 4 October 1970
| 25 March 1977
| {{age in years and days|1970|10|4|1977|3|25}};
(total 7 years, 80 days)
| [[Communist Party of India]] {{small|([[United Front (Kerala)|United Front]])}}
| width="4px" style="background-color: {{Communist Party of India/meta/color}}" |
| 4th Assembly
(1970–77) ([[1970 Kerala Legislative Assembly election|1970 election]])
|-
|- style="text-align:center
| 5
| [[K. Karunakaran|Kannoth Karunakaran]] {{small|(1918-2010)}}
| [[File:Karunakaran_Kannoth.jpg|100x100px]]
| [[Mala, Kerala|Mala]]
| 25 March 1977
| 26 April 1977
| {{age in years and days|1977|3|25|1977|4|26}}
| rowspan=2| [[Indian National Congress]] {{small|([[United Front (Kerala)|United Front]])}}
| rowspan=2 width="4px" style="background-color: {{Indian National Congress/meta/color}}" |
| rowspan="4" | 5th Assembly
(1977–79) ([[1977 Kerala Legislative Assembly election|1977 election]])
|-
|- style="text-align:center
| 6
| [[A. K. Antony|Arackaparambil Kurien Antony]] {{small|(born 1940)}}
| [[File:A. K. Antony.jpg|100x100px]]
| [[Kazhakootam (State Assembly constituency)|Kazhakkuttom]]
| 27 April 1977
| 28 October 1978
| {{age in years and days|1977|4|27|1978|10|28}}

|-
|- style="text-align:center
| 7
| [[P. K. Vasudevan Nair|Padayatt Kesavapillai Vasudevan Nair]] {{small|(1926-2005)}}
| [[File:P.K. Vasudevan Nair.jpg|100x100px]]
| [[Alappuzha (State Assembly constituency)|Alleppey]]
| 29 October 1978
| 11 October 1979
| {{age in years and days|1978|10|29|1979|10|11}}
| [[Communist Party of India]] {{small|([[United Front (Kerala)|United Front]])}}
| width="4px" style="background-color: {{Communist Party of India/meta/color}}" |
|- style="height: 130px;"
|- style="text-align:center
| 8
| [[C. H. Mohammed Koya|Cheriyan Kandi Muhammad Koya]] {{small|(1927-1983)}}
| [[File:C H Mohammed Koya (1979).jpg|100x100px]]
| [[Malappuram (State Assembly constituency)|Malappuram]]
| 12 October 1979
| 4 December 1979
| {{age in years and days|1979|10|12|1979|12|4}}
| [[Indian Union Muslim League]] {{small|([[United Front (Kerala)|United Front]])}}
| width="4px" style="background-color: {{Indian Union Muslim League/meta/color}}"|

|-
|- style="text-align:center
| –
| Vacant{{efn|name=PR}} ([[President's rule]])
| [[File:Emblem of India.svg|100x100px]]
| N/A
| 5 December 1979
| 25 January 1980
| {{age in years and days|1979|12|5|1980|1|25}}
| N/A
| width="4px" style="background-color: white" |
| ''Dissolved''
|-
|- style="text-align:center
| 9
| [[E. K. Nayanar|Erambala Krishnan Nayanar]] {{small|(1919-2004)}}
| [[File:Ek nayanar.jpeg|100x100px]]
| [[Malampuzha (State Assembly constituency)|Malampuzha]]
| 25 January 1980
| 20 October 1981
| {{age in years and days|1980|1|25|1981|10|20}}
| [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]] {{small|([[Left Democratic Front (Kerala)|Left Democratic Front]])}}
| width="4px" style="background-color: {{Communist Party of India (Marxist)/meta/color}}" |
| rowspan="3" | 6th Assembly
(1980–82) ([[1980 Kerala Legislative Assembly election|1980 election]])
|-
|- style="text-align:center
| –
| Vacant{{efn|name=PR}} ([[President's rule]])
| [[File:Emblem of India.svg|100x100px]]
| N/A
| 21 October 1981
| 28 December 1981
| {{age in years and days|1981|10|21|1981|12|28}}
| N/A
|width="4px" style="background-color: white" |
|-
|- style="text-align:center
| (5)
| [[K. Karunakaran|Kannoth Karunakaran]] {{small|(1918-2010)}}
| [[File:Karunakaran_Kannoth.jpg|100x100px]]
| [[Mala, Kerala|Mala]]
| 28 December 1981
| 17 March 1982
| {{age in years and days|1981|12|28|1982|3|17}}
| [[Indian National Congress]] {{small|([[United Democratic Front (Kerala)|United Democratic Front]])}}
| width="4px" style="background-color:{{Indian National Congress/meta/color}}" |
|-
|- style="text-align:center
| –
| Vacant{{efn|name=PR}} ([[President's rule]])
| [[File:Emblem of India.svg|100x100px]]
| N/A
| 17 March 1982
| 23 May 1982
| {{age in years and days|1982|3|17|1982|5|23}}
| N/A
| width="4px" style="background-color: white" |
| ''Dissolved''
|-
|- style="text-align:center
| (5)
| [[K. Karunakaran|Kannoth Karunakaran]] {{small|(1918-2010)}}
| [[File:Karunakaran_Kannoth.jpg|100x100px]]
| [[Mala, Kerala|Mala]]
| 24 May 1982
| 25 March 1987
| {{age in years and days|1982|5|24|1987|3|25}}
| [[Indian National Congress]] {{small|([[United Democratic Front (Kerala)|United Democratic Front]])}}
| width="4px" style="background-color: {{Indian National Congress/meta/color}}" |
| 7th Assembly
(1982–87) ([[1982 Kerala Legislative Assembly election|1982 election]])
|-
|- style="text-align:center
| (9)
| [[E. K. Nayanar|Erambala Krishnan Nayanar]] {{small|(1919-2004)}}
| [[File:Ek nayanar.jpeg|100x100px]]
| [[Thrikaripur (State Assembly constituency)|Trikaripur]]
| 26 March 1987
| 23 June 1991
| {{age in years and days|1987|3|26|1991|6|23}}
| [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]] {{small|([[Left Democratic Front (Kerala)|Left Democratic Front]])}}
| width="4px" style="background-color: {{Communist Party of India (Marxist)/meta/color}}" |
| 8th Assembly
(1987–91) ([[1987 Kerala Legislative Assembly election|1987 election]])
|-
|- style="text-align:center
| (5)
| [[K. Karunakaran|Kannoth Karunakaran]] {{small|(1918-2010)}}
| [[File:Karunakaran_Kannoth.jpg|100x100px]]
| [[Mala, Kerala|Mala]]
| 24 June 1991
| 21 March 1995
| {{age in years and days|1991|6|24|1995|3|21}}; (total 8 years, 315 days)
| rowspan=2| [[Indian National Congress]] {{small|([[United Democratic Front (Kerala)|United Democratic Front]])}}
| rowspan=2 width="4px" style="background-color: {{Indian National Congress/meta/color}}" |
| rowspan="2" | 9th Assembly
(1991–96) ([[1991 Kerala Legislative Assembly election|1991 election]])
|-
|- style="text-align:center
| (6)
| [[A. K. Antony|Arackaparambil Kurien Antony]] {{small|(born 1940)}}
| [[File:A. K. Antony.jpg|100x100px]]
| [[Tirurangadi (State Assembly constituency)|Thirurangadi]]
| 22 March 1995
| 19 May 1996
| {{age in years and days|1995|3|22|1996|5|19}}

|-
|- style="text-align:center
| (9)
| [[E. K. Nayanar|Erambala Krishnan Nayanar]] {{small|(1919-2004)}}
| [[File:Ek nayanar.jpeg|100x100px]]
| [[Thalassery (State Assembly constituency)|Thalassery]]
| 20 May 1996
| 16 May 2001
| {{age in years and days|1996|5|20|2001|5|16}}; (total 10 years, 353 days)
| [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]] {{small|([[Left Democratic Front (Kerala)|Left Democratic Front]])}}
| width="4px" style="background-color: {{Communist Party of India (Marxist)/meta/color}}" |
| 10th Assembly
(1996–2001) ([[1996 Kerala Legislative Assembly election|1996 election]])
|-
|- style="text-align:center
| (6)
| [[A. K. Antony|Arackaparambil Kurien Antony]] {{small|(born 1940)}}
| [[File:A. K. Antony.jpg|100x100px]]
| [[Cherthala (State Assembly constituency)|Cherthala]]
| 17 May 2001
| 30 August 2004
| {{age in years and days|2001|5|17|2004|8|30}}; (total 5 years, 347 days)
| rowspan=2| [[Indian National Congress]] {{small|([[United Democratic Front (Kerala)|United Democratic Front]])}}
| rowspan=2 width="4px" style="background-color: {{Indian National Congress/meta/color}}" |
| rowspan="2" | 11th Assembly
(2001–06) ([[2001 Kerala Legislative Assembly election|2001 election]])
|-
|- style="text-align:center
| 10
| [[Oommen Chandy]] {{small|(born 1943)}}
| [[File:Oommen Chandy (cropped).jpg|100x100px]]
| [[Puthuppally (State Assembly constituency)|Puthuppally]]
| 31 August 2004
| 17 May 2006
| {{age in years and days|2004|8|31|2006|5|17}}
|-
|- style="text-align:center
| 11
| [[V. S. Achuthanandan|Velikkakathu Sankaran Achuthanandan]] {{small|(born 1923)}}
| [[File:1603200170 v-s-achuthanandan.jpg|100x100px]]
| [[Malampuzha (State Assembly constituency)|Malampuzha]]
| 18 May 2006
| 17 May 2011
| {{age in years and days|2006|5|18|2011|5|17}}
| [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]] {{small|([[Left Democratic Front (Kerala)|Left Democratic Front]])}}
| width="4px" style="background-color: {{Communist Party of India (Marxist)/meta/color}}" |
| 12th Assembly
(2006–11) [[2006 Kerala Legislative Assembly election|(2006 election)]]

|-
|- style="text-align:center
| (10)
| [[Oommen Chandy]] {{small|(born 1943)}}
| [[File:Oommen Chandy (cropped).jpg|100x100px]]
| [[Puthuppally (State Assembly constituency)|Puthuppally]]
| 18 May 2011
| 24 May 2016
| {{age in years and days|2011|5|18|2016|5|24}}; (total 6 years, 256 days)
| [[Indian National Congress]] {{small|([[United Democratic Front (Kerala)|United Democratic Front]])}}
| width="4px" style="background-color: {{Indian National Congress/meta/color}}" |
| 13th Assembly
(2011–16) [[2011 Kerala Legislative Assembly election|(2011 election)]]
|-
|- style="text-align:center
| rowspan = "2" | 12
| rowspan = "2" | [[Pinarayi Vijayan]] {{small|(born 1945)}}
| rowspan = "2" |[[File:Pinarayi Vijayan (cropped).jpg|100x100px]]
| rowspan=2| [[Dharmadam (State Assembly constituency)|Dharmadam]]
| 25 May 2016
| 19 May 2021
| rowspan=2|{{age in years and days|2016|5|25}}
| rowspan=2| [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]] {{small|([[Left Democratic Front (Kerala)|Left Democratic Front]])}}
| rowspan=2 width="4px" style="background-color: {{Communist Party of India (Marxist)/meta/color}}" |
| 14th Assembly
(2016–21) [[2016 Kerala Legislative Assembly election|(2016 election)]]
|-
|- style="text-align:center
| 20 May 2021
| ''Incumbent''
| 15th Assembly
(2021- ) [[2021 Kerala Legislative Assembly election|(2021 election)]]
|-
|}

==Statistics==
;List of Chief Ministers by length of term
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%; text-align:center"
|-
! data-sort-type=number rowspan = "2" | {{Tooltip|No.}}
! rowspan = "2" | Name
! rowspan = "2" colspan="2" | Party
! colspan = "2" | Length of term
|-
! Longest continuous term
! Total years of premiership
|-
! data-sort-value="1" | 1
| {{Sortname|E. K.|Nayanar}}
| [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)|CPI(M)]]
|style="background-color: {{Communist Party of India (Marxist)/meta/color}}" |
| 4 years, 361 days
| 10 years, 353 days
|-
|-
! data-sort-value="2" | 2
| {{Sortname|K.|Karunakaran}}
| [[Indian National Congress|INC]]
| style="background-color: {{Indian National Congress/meta/color}}" |
| 4 years, 305 days
| 8 years, 315 days
|-
! data-sort-value="3" | 3
| {{Sortname|C. Achutha|Menon}}
| [[Communist Party of India|CPI]]
| style="background-color: {{Communist Party of India/meta/color}}" |
| 6 years, 172 days
| 7 years, 80 days
|-
! data-sort-value="4" | 4
| {{Sortname|Oommen|Chandy}}
| [[Indian National Congress|INC]]
| style="background-color: {{Indian National Congress/meta/color}}" |
| 5 years, 6 days
| 6 years, 256 days
|-
! data-sort-value="5" | 5
| {{Sortname|A. K.|Antony}}
| [[Indian National Congress|INC]]
| style="background-color: {{Indian National Congress/meta/color}}" |
| 3 years, 105 days
| 5 years, 347 days
|-
! data-sort-value="6" | 6
| '''{{Sortname|Pinarayi|Vijayan}}'''
| '''[[Communist Party of India (Marxist)|CPI(M)]]'''
|style="background-color: {{Communist Party of India (Marxist)/meta/color}}" |
| '''{{age in years and days|2016|5|25}}'''
| '''{{age in years and days|2016|5|25}}'''
|-
! data-sort-value="7" | 7
| {{Sortname|V. S.|Achuthanandan}}
| [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)|CPI(M)]]
|style="background-color: {{Communist Party of India (Marxist)/meta/color}}" |
| 4 years, 364 days
| 4 years, 364 days
|-
! data-sort-value="8" | 8
| {{Sortname|E. M. S.|Namboodiripad}}
| [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)|CPI(M)]]/[[Communist Party of India|CPI]]
|style="background-color: {{Communist Party of India (Marxist)/meta/color}}" |
| 2 years 240 days
| 4 years 357 days
|-
! data-sort-value="9" | 9
| {{Sortname|Pattom A. Thanu|Pillai}}
| [[Praja Socialist Party|PSP]]
|style="background-color: {{Praja Socialist Party/meta/color}}" |
| 2 years 216 days
| 2 years 216 days
|-
! data-sort-value="10" | 10
| {{Sortname|R.|Sankar}}
| [[Indian National Congress|INC]]
| style="background-color: {{Indian National Congress/meta/color}}" |
| 1 year 350 days
| 1 year 350 days
|-
! data-sort-value="11" | 11
| {{Sortname|P. K. Vasudevan|Nair}}
| [[Communist Party of India|CPI]]
|style="background-color: {{Communist Party of India/meta/color}}" |
| 347 days
| 347 days
|-
! data-sort-value="12" | 12
| {{Sortname|C. H. Mohammed|Koya}}
| [[Indian Union Muslim League|IUML]]
|style="background-color: {{Indian Union Muslim League/meta/color}}" |
| 53 days
| 53 days
|}

==Timeline==
{{#tag:timeline|
ImageSize = width:1000 height:auto barincrement:15
PlotArea = top:10 bottom:50 right:200 left:20
AlignBars = late

Colors =

id:cpi value:rgb(1,0,0) legend: CPI
id:psp value:rgb(0.945,0.322,0.439) legend: PSP
id:inc value:rgb(0,0.748,1) legend: INC
id:cpm value:rgb(1,0.114,0.082) legend: CPI(M)
id:ium value:rgb(0.133,0.545,0.133) legend: IUML
id:gray1 value:gray(0.8)
id:gray2 value:gray(0.9)

Define $today = {{#time:d/m/Y}}

DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
Period = from:01/01/1956 till:$today
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal
ScaleMinor = gridcolor:gray2 unit:year increment:1 start:1956
ScaleMajor = gridcolor:gray1 unit:year increment:5 start:1956

Legend = columns:4 left:150 top:24 columnwidth:150

TextData =
pos:(20,27) textcolor:black fontsize:M
text: Political Party

BarData =
bar:Namboodiripad(1)
bar:Pillai
bar:Sankar
bar:Namboodiripad(2)
bar:Menon
bar:Karunakaran(1)
bar:Antony(1)
bar:Nair
bar:Koya
bar:Nayanar(1)
bar:Karunakaran(2)
bar:Nayanar(2)
bar:Karunakaran(3)
bar:Antony(2)
bar:Nayanar(3)
bar:Antony(3)
bar:Chandy(1)
bar:Achuthanandan
bar:Chandy(2)
bar:Vijayan

PlotData =
width:5 align:left fontsize:S shift:(5,-4) anchor:till

bar:Namboodiripad(1)
from: 05/04/1957 till: 31/07/1959 color:cpi text:"[[E. M. S. Namboodiripad]]" fontsize:10
bar:Pillai
from: 22/02/1960 till: 26/09/1962 color:psp text:"[[Pattom Thanu Pillai]]" fontsize:10
bar:Sankar
from: 26/09/1962 till: 10/09/1964 color:inc text:"[[Raman Sankar]]" fontsize:10
bar:Namboodiripad(2)
from: 06/03/1967 till: 01/11/1969 color:cpm text:"[[E. M. S. Namboodiripad]]" fontsize:10
bar:Menon
from: 01/11/1969 till: 03/08/1970 color:cpi
from: 04/10/1970 till: 25/03/1977 color:cpi text:"[[C. Achutha Menon]]" fontsize:10
bar:Karunakaran(1)
from: 25/03/1977 till: 26/04/1977 color:inc text:"[[K. Karunakaran]]" fontsize:10
bar:Karunakaran(2)
from: 28/12/1981 till: 07/03/1982 color:inc
from: 24/05/1982 till: 25/03/1987 color:inc text:"[[K. Karunakaran]]" fontsize:10
bar:Karunakaran(3)
from: 24/06/1991 till: 21/03/1995 color:inc text:"[[K. Karunakaran]]" fontsize:10
bar:Antony(1)
from: 27/04/1977 till: 28/10/1978 color:inc text:"[[A. K. Antony]]" fontsize:10
bar:Antony(2)
from: 22/03/1995 till: 19/05/1996 color:inc text:"[[A. K. Antony]]" fontsize:10
bar:Antony(3)
from: 17/05/2001 till: 30/08/2004 color:inc text:"[[A. K. Antony]]" fontsize:10
bar:Nair
from: 29/10/1978 till: 11/10/1979 color:cpi text:"[[P. K. Vasudevan Nair]]" fontsize:10
bar:Koya
from: 12/10/1979 till: 04/12/1979 color:ium text:"[[C. K. Mohammed Koya]]" fontsize:10
bar:Nayanar(1)
from: 25/01/1980 till: 20/10/1981 color:cpm text:"[[E. K. Nayanar]]" fontsize:10
bar:Nayanar(2)
from: 26/03/1987 till: 23/06/1991 color:cpm text:"[[E. K. Nayanar]]" fontsize:10
bar:Nayanar(3)
from: 20/05/1996 till: 16/05/2001 color:cpm text:"[[E. K. Nayanar]]" fontsize:10
bar:Chandy(1)
from: 31/08/2004 till: 17/05/2006 color:inc text:"[[Oommen Chandy]]" fontsize:10
bar:Chandy(2)
from: 18/05/2011 till: 24/05/2016 color:inc text:"[[Oommen Chandy]]" fontsize:10
bar:Achuthanandan
from: 18/05/2006 till: 17/05/2011 color:cpm text:"[[V. S. Achuthanandan]]" fontsize:10
bar:Vijayan
from: 25/05/2016 till: $today color:cpm text:"[[Pinarayi Vijayan]]" fontsize:10

}}

=== Political parties by total time-span of their member holding CMO ({{CURRENTDAY}} {{CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{CURRENTYEAR}}) ===
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%; text-align:center"
|-
! data-sort-type=number | {{Tooltip|No.}}
! colspan="2" |Political party
! data-sort-type=number | Number of Chief ministers
! Total days of holding CMO
|-
! data-sort-value="1" | 1
| '''[[Communist Party of India (Marxist)|CPI(M)]]'''
|style="background-color: {{Communist Party of India (Marxist)/meta/color}}" |
| data-sort-type=5 | 4
| '''{{formatnum:{{formatnum:{{#expr:{{age in days|1967|03|06|1969|11|01}}+{{age in days|1969|11|01|1970|08|03}}+{{age in days|1980|01|25|1981|10|20}}+{{age in days|1987|03|26|1991|06|23}}+{{age in days|1996|05|20|2001|05|16}}+{{age in days|2006|05|18|2011|05|17}}+{{age in days|2016|05|25}}}}}}|R}} days'''
|-
! data-sort-value="2" | 2
| [[Indian National Congress|INC]]
| style="background-color: {{Indian National Congress/meta/color}}" |
| data-sort-type=2 | 4
| {{formatnum:{{#expr:{{age in days|1962|09|26|1964|09|10}}+{{age in days|1977|03|25|1978|10|28}}+{{age in days|1981|12|28|1982|03|17}}+{{age in days|1982|05|24|1987|03|25}}+{{age in days|1991|06|24|1996|05|19}} +{{age in days|2001|05|17|2006|05|17}}+{{age in days|2011|05|18|2016|05|24}} }}}} days
|-
! data-sort-value="3" | 3
| [[Communist Party of India|CPI]]
| style="background-color: {{Communist Party of India/meta/color}}" |
| data-sort-type=3 | 3
| {{formatnum:{{#expr:{{age in days|1957|04|05|1959|07|31}}+{{age in days|1970|10|04|1977|03|25}}+{{age in days|1978|10|29|1979|10|11}} }}}} days
|-
! data-sort-value="4" | 4
| [[Praja Socialist Party|PSP]]
|style="background-color: {{Praja Socialist Party/meta/color}}" |
| data-sort-type=6 | 1
| 946 days
|-
! data-sort-value="5" | 5
| [[Indian Union Muslim League|IUML]]
|style="background-color: {{Indian Union Muslim League/meta/color}}" |
| data-sort-type=6 | 1
| 53 days
|}

==Living former chief ministers==
As of {{CURRENTDAY}} {{CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{CURRENTYEAR}}, there are three living former chief ministers of Kerala:

<gallery class="center" caption="Living former chief ministers">
File:A. K. Antony.jpg|[[A. K. Antony]] (1977–78, 1995–96, 2001–2004) {{birth date and age|1940|12|28|df=y}}
File:Oommen Chandy (cropped).jpg|[[Oommen Chandy]] (2004–2006, 2011–2016) {{birth date and age|1943|10|31|df=y}}
File:V. S. Achuthanandan 2016.jpg|[[V. S. Achuthanandan]] (2006–2011) {{birth date and age|1923|10|20|df=y}}
</gallery>

The most recent death of a former chief minister was that of [[K. Karunakaran]] on 23 December 2010, aged 92.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/karunakaran-passes-away-bringing-curtains-down-on-era-in-kerala-politics/articleshow/7152097.cms|title=Karunakaran passes away, bringing curtains down on era in Kerala politics|author=Joe A Scaria|work=[[The Economic Times]]|access-date=20 May 2021|date=23 December 2010}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Kerala Council of Ministers]]
* [[Deputy Chief Ministers of Kerala]]

==Notes==

===Footnotes===
{{Notelist}}

===References===
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
{{refbegin}}
* {{Citation|title=Chief Ministers, Ministers, and Leaders of Opposition of Kerala|last=|publisher=Secratriat of [[Kerala Legislative Assembly|Kerala Legislature]]|year=2018|location=[[Thiruvananthapuram]]|url=http://www.niyamasabha.org/codes/14kla/chief%20ministers,%20ministers,%20leaders%20of%20opposition.pdf}}
* {{Cite book|title=Mathrubhumi Yearbook Plus - 2019 (Malayalam Edition)|publisher=P. V. Chandran, Managing Editor, Mathrubhumi Printing & Publishing Company Limited, Kozhikode|year=2018|location=Kozhikode|last=Chandran |first=VP}}
* {{cite book|author=Menon, A. Sreedhara |title=A Survey of Kerala History|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FVsw35oEBv4C|year=2007|publisher=DC Books|isbn=9788126415786}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Chief ministers of Kerala}}
* [http://keralacm.gov.in Official website of Chief Minister of Kerala]

{{Current Indian chief ministers}}
{{Keralite ministries}}
{{United Democratic Front (Kerala)}}
{{Left Democratic Front (Kerala)}}
{{Kerala topics}}
{{Kerala}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:List of Chief Ministers of Kerala}}
[[Category:Chief Ministers of Kerala| ]]
[[Category:Lists of chief ministers of Indian states|Kerala]]
[[Category:Lists of people from Kerala|Chief Ministers]]
[[Category:Kerala politics-related lists|Chief Ministers]]

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List of chief ministers of Kerala