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Chief minister of Kerala
Kēraḷa Mukhyamantri
Emblem of Kerala
Incumbent Pinarayi Vijayan since 25 May 2016
Chief minister's office
Style	The Honourable (Formal) Mr./Mrs. Chief Minister (Informal)
Type	Head of government
Status	Leader of the Executive
Abbreviation	CM
Member of	Cabinet Kerala Legislative Assembly
Reports to	Governor of Kerala Kerala Legislative Assembly
Residence	Cliff House, Thiruvananthapuram
Seat	Kerala Government Secretariat, Thiruvananthapuram
Appointer	Governor of Kerala
Term length	At the pleasure of the governor of Kerala
Precursor	Prime minister of Travancore Prime minister of Kingdom of Cochin Chief Minister of Madras Chief ministers of Travancore-Cochin
Inaugural holder	E. M. S. Namboodiripad (1957–1959)
Formation	5 April 1957; 67 years ago (1957-04-05)
Deputy	Vacant
Salary	₹185,000 (US$2,200)/monthly ₹2,220,000 (US$27,000)/annually
Website	CMO Kerala

The chief minister of Kerala is the chief executive of the Indian state of Kerala. 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 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.

Following India's independence from the British Raj in 1947, the states' monarchs of Travancore and 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 region of South Canara, which together constitute more than half of present state of Kerala, had their representatives in the 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, and Travancore regions, and the Kasaragod region of South Canara. The first assembly election in Kerala state was held in February–March 1957. The first Kerala Legislative Assembly was formed on 5 April 1957. The Assembly had 127 members including a nominated member. 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). E. K. Nayanar is the longest serving holder of the office for a total of 10 years, 353 days. Pinarayi Vijayan is the incumbent chief minister; his Left Democratic Front government has been in office since 25 May 2016.

Key

• Assassinated or died in office
• Returned to office after a previous non-consecutive term
• Resigned
• Resigned following a no-confidence motion

Precursors

Prime ministers of Travancore (1948–49)

No	Portrait	Name	Term of Office			Assembly	Appointed by (Monarch)	Party
1		P. A. Thanu Pillai	24 March 1948	17 October 1948	210 days	Representative Body (1948–49)	Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma	Indian National Congress
2		P. T. K. Narayana Pillai	22 October 1948	1 July 1949	253 days

Prime ministers of Cochin (1947–49)

No	Portrait	Name	Term of Office			Assembly	Appointed by (Monarch)	Party
1		P. Govinda Menon	14 August 1947	22 October 1947	51 days	6th Council (1945–48)	Aikya Keralam Thampuran	Independent
2		T. K. Nair	27 October 1947	20 September 1948	334 days
3		E. Ikkanda Warrier	20 September 1948	1 July 1949	284 days	Legislative Assembly (1948–49)

Prime ministers of Travancore-Cochin (1949–50)

No	Portrait	Name	Term of Office			Assembly	Appointed by (Rajpramukh)	Party
1		T. K. Narayana Pillai	1 July 1949	26 January 1950	209 days	1st	Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma	Indian National Congress

Chief ministers of Travancore-Cochin (1950–56)

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	Portrait	Name	Term of Office			Assembly	Appointed by (Rajpramukh)	Party
1		T. K. Narayana Pillai	26 January 1950	28 February 1951	1 year, 33 days	1st	Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma	Indian National Congress
2		C. Kesavan	28 February 1951	12 March 1952	1 year, 13 days
3		A. J. John	12 March 1952	16 March 1954	2 years, 4 days	2nd (1951 election)
4		P. A. Thanu Pillai	16 March 1954	10 February 1955	331 days	3rd (1954 election)		Praja Socialist Party
5		P. Govinda Menon	10 February 1955	23 March 1956	1 year, 42 days			Indian National Congress
–		Vacant (President's rule)	23 March 1956	31 October 1956	222 days	Dissolved	N/A

Chief ministers of Kerala

On 1 November 1956, Government of India enacted the States Reorganisation Act, 1956 by which a new Kerala state was formed by the merger of Travancore-Cochin state with the Malabar district and Kasaragod taluk of South Canara district of the Madras State. The southern part of Travancore-Cochin, Kanyakumari district, along with Sengottai Taluk was transferred to Madras state and the Laccadive and Minicoy Islands were separated from Malabar district to form a new Union Territory. A new Legislative Assembly was also created, for which elections were held in 1957.

No	Portrait	Name	Constituency	Tenure			Assembly (election)	Party		Ministry
		Vacant (President's rule)	N/A	1 November 1956	5 April 1957	155 days	Dissolved		N/A	N/A
1		E. M. S. Namboodiripad (1909–1998)	Nileshwaram	5 April 1957	31 July 1959	2 years, 117 days	1st (1957 election)		Communist Party of India	Namboodiripad I
		Vacant (President's rule)	N/A	31 July 1959	22 February 1960	206 days	Dissolved		N/A	N/A
2		P. A. Thanu Pillai (1885–1970)	Thiruvananthapuram II	22 February 1960	26 September 1962	2 years, 216 days	2nd (1960 election)		Praja Socialist Party	Thanu Pillai
3		R. Sankar (1909–1972)	Kannur I	26 September 1962	10 September 1964	1 year, 350 days			Indian National Congress	Sankar
		Vacant (President's rule)	N/A	10 September 1964	25 March 1965	2 years, 177 days	Dissolved		N/A	N/A
				25 March 1965	6 March 1967		Dissolved (1965 election)		N/A	N/A
(1)		E. M. S. Namboodiripad (1909–1998)	Pattambi	6 March 1967	1 November 1969	2 years, 240 days	3rd (1967 election)		Communist Party of India (Marxist)	Namboodiripad II
4		C. Achutha Menon (1913–1991)	Kottarakkara	1 November 1969	3 August 1970	275 days			Communist Party of India	Achutha Menon I
		Vacant (President's rule)	N/A	4 August 1970	3 October 1970	60 days	Dissolved		N/A	N/A
(4)		C. Achutha Menon (1913–1991)	Kodakara	4 October 1970	25 March 1977	6 years, 172 days	4th (1970 election)		Communist Party of India	Achutha Menon II
5		K. Karunakaran (1918–2010)	Mala	25 March 1977	27 April 1977	33 days	5th (1977 election)		Indian National Congress	Karunakaran I
6		A. K. Antony (b. 1940)	Kazhakkuttom	27 April 1977	29 October 1978	1 year, 185 days				Antony I
7		P. K. Vasudevan Nair (1926–2005)	Alappuzha	29 October 1978	12 October 1979	348 days			Communist Party of India	Vasudevan Nair
8		C. H. Mohammed Koya (1927–1983)	Malappuram	12 October 1979	4 December 1979	53 days			Indian Union Muslim League	Koya
		Vacant (President's rule)	N/A	5 December 1979	25 January 1980	51 days	Dissolved		N/A	N/A
9		E. K. Nayanar (1919–2004)	Malampuzha	25 January 1980	20 October 1981	1 year, 268 days	6th (1980 election)		Communist Party of India (Marxist)	Nayanar I
		Vacant (President's rule)	N/A	21 October 1981	28 December 1981	68 days			N/A	N/A
(5)		K. Karunakaran (1918–2010)	Mala	28 December 1981	17 March 1982	79 days			Indian National Congress	Karunakaran II
		Vacant (President's rule)	N/A	17 March 1982	23 May 1982	67 days	Dissolved		N/A	N/A
(5)		K. Karunakaran (1918–2010)	Mala	24 May 1982	26 March 1987	4 years, 306 days	7th (1982 election)		Indian National Congress	Karunakaran III
(9)		E. K. Nayanar (1919–2004)	Trikaripur	26 March 1987	24 June 1991	4 years, 90 days	8th (1987 election)		Communist Party of India (Marxist)	Nayanar II
(5)		K. Karunakaran (1918–2010)	Mala	24 June 1991	22 March 1995	3 years, 271 days	9th (1991 election)		Indian National Congress	Karunakaran IV
(6)		A. K. Antony (b. 1940)	Thirurangadi	22 March 1995	20 May 1996	1 year, 59 days				Antony II
(9)		E. K. Nayanar (1919–2004)	Thalassery	20 May 1996	17 May 2001	4 years, 362 days	10th (1996 election)		Communist Party of India (Marxist)	Nayanar III
(6)		A. K. Antony (b. 1940)	Cherthala	17 May 2001	31 August 2004	3 years, 106 days	11th (2001 election)		Indian National Congress	Antony III
10		Oommen Chandy (1943–2023)	Puthuppally	31 August 2004	18 May 2006	1 year, 260 days				Chandy I
11		V. S. Achuthanandan (b. 1923)	Malampuzha	18 May 2006	18 May 2011	5 years, 0 days	12th (2006 election)		Communist Party of India (Marxist)	Achuthanandan
(10)		Oommen Chandy (1943–2023)	Puthuppally	18 May 2011	25 May 2016	5 years, 7 days	13th (2011 election)		Indian National Congress	Chandy II
12		Pinarayi Vijayan (b. 1945)	Dharmadam	25 May 2016	19 May 2021	8 years, 211 days	14th (2016 election)		Communist Party of India (Marxist)	Pinarayi I
				20 May 2021	At Present		15th (2021 election)			Pinarayi II

Statistics

Fraction of time of holding CMO by party in Kerala (as of October 2024)

List of chief ministers by length of term

List by party

Timeline

See also

• List of current Indian chief ministers
• Kerala Council of Ministers
• List of deputy chief ministers of Kerala

Notes

1. A parenthetical number indicates that the incumbent has previously held office.
2. A parenthetical number indicates that the incumbent has previously held office.
3. A parenthetical number indicates that the incumbent has previously held office.
4. A parenthetical number indicates that the incumbent has previously held office.
5. ^ President's rule may be imposed when the "government in a state is not able to function as per the Constitution", which often happens because no party or coalition has a majority in the assembly. When President's rule is in force in a state, its council of ministers stands dissolved. The office of chief minister thus lies vacant, and the administration is taken over by the governor, who functions on behalf of the central government. At times, the legislative assembly also stands dissolved.
6. A number in parentheses indicates that the incumbent has previously held office
7. Year in parentheses indicates life span
8. This column only names the chief minister's party. The state government he heads may be a complex coalition of several parties and independents; these are not listed here.
9. 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

1. "Article 164 in constitution of India".
2. 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.
3. ^ Sreedhara Menon, A. (January 2007). Kerala Charitram (2007 ed.). Kottayam: DC Books. ISBN 978-81-264-1588-5.
4. K. Diwanji, Amberish (15 March 2005). "A dummy's guide to President's rule". Rediff.com.
5. The States Reorganisation Act, 1956 (PDF) (Report). Government of India.
6. "Seventh Amendment, 1956". Government of India. Retrieved 19 November 2023.

Further reading

• Chief Ministers, Ministers, and Leaders of Opposition of Kerala (PDF), Thiruvananthapuram: Secratriat of Kerala Legislature, 2018
• Chandran, VP (2018). Mathrubhumi Yearbook Plus – 2019 (Malayalam ed.). Kozhikode: P. V. Chandran, Managing Editor, Mathrubhumi Printing & Publishing Company Limited, Kozhikode.
• Menon, A. Sreedhara (2007). A Survey of Kerala History. DC Books. ISBN 9788126415786.

External links

• Official website of Chief Minister of Kerala

v t e Kerala ministries
1957–present	Namboodiripad I Pillai Sankar Namboodiripad II Menon I Menon II Karunakaran I Antony I Nair Koya Nayanar I Karunakaran II Karunakaran III Nayanar II Karunakaran IV Antony II Nayanar III Antony III Chandy I Achuthanandan Chandy II Vijayan I Vijayan II

v t e Left Democratic Front
Members	National Parties Communist Party of India (Marxist) State Parties Communist Party of India Nationalist Congress Party Kerala Congress (M) Janata Dal (Secular) Registered Unrecognised Parties Kerala Congress (B) Congress (Secular) Indian National League Revolutionary Socialist Party (Leninist) National Secular Conference Loktantrik Janata Dal Janathipathiya Samrakshana Samithy Kerala Congress (Skaria Thomas) Janadhipathya Kerala Congress
Leaders	E. M. S. Namboodiripad E. K. Nayanar V. S. Achuthanandan Pinarayi Vijayan Kodiyeri Balakrishnan Prakash Karat S. Ramachandran Pillai M. B. Rajesh C. Achutha Menon Pannyan Raveendran Kanam Rajendran K. E. Ismail A. K. Saseendran Thomas Chandy K. Krishnankutty Mathew T. Thomas R. Balakrishna Pillai Kadannappalli Ramachandran P. T. A. Rahim M. P. Veerendra Kumar K. R. Gowri Amma Skaria Thomas Francis George
Chief Ministers of Kerala	E. K. Nayanar V. S. Achuthanandan Pinarayi Vijayan

v t e Kerala topics
History	Sangam period Edakkal Caves Ariyannur Umbrellas Kudakkallu Parambu Chovvanur burial cave Chera Zamorin of Calicut Venad Swaroopam Kingdom of Cannanore Kerala school Battle of Kulachal Arakkal kingdom Lakshadweep Anglo-Mysore Wars Battle of Quilon Vaikom Satyagraham Perumpadapu Swaroopam Malabar Migration
Government Politics	Agencies Chief Ministers Governors Legislative Assembly Panchayat elections Saptakakshi Munnani Aikya Munnani Left Democratic Front United Democratic Front Politicians
Incidents	1988 Perumon tragedy 2001 Kadalundi Train derailment 2016 Paravur temple fire 2018 Kerala floods
Geography	Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve Ashtamudi Lake Kavvayi Backwaters Backwaters Districts Eravikulam National Park Flora and fauna Malabar Coast Marayoor Nelliampathi Mountains Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve Nilgiri Hills Palakkad Gap Protected areas Sasthamcotta Lake Vembanad Lake
Demographics Economy Religion	Malayalis Namboothiris Ambalavasis Samanthas Nairs Mappilas Thiyyas Saint Thomas Christians Kerala Iyers Ezhavas Cochin Jews Jainism in Kerala Pulayar Dravidians Adivasis Scheduled Tribes Kerala model Tourism Education colleges and universities
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Tourism	Alappuzha Athirappilly Falls Beaches in Kerala Bekal Chembra Peak Kerala Backwaters Kollam Places of Interest in Malappuram Tourist attractions in Kannur Islands of Kollam Tourist attractions of Palakkad Kovalam Tourism in Kasaragod Munnar Muzhappilangad Beach Peruvanam List of tourist attractions in Kozhikode Estuaries of Paravur Tourism in Thiruvananthapuram Vallam kali Wayanad
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v t e State of Kerala
Capital: Thiruvananthapuram
Districts	Thiruvananthapuram KL-01 Kollam KL-02 Pathanamthitta KL-03 Alappuzha KL-04 Kottayam KL-05 Idukki KL-06 Ernakulam KL-07 Thrissur KL-08 Palakkad KL-09 Malappuram KL-10 Kozhikode KL-11 Wayanad KL-12 Kannur KL-13 Kasaragod KL-14
Topics	Arts Culture Demographics Economy Education Film Geography Roads Ports History Wildlife Government Tourism Sports
Symbols	Bird Great hornbill Animal Indian elephant Tree Coconut Flower Golden rain Fish Karimeen Fruit Jackfruit Insect Papilio buddha
Taluks	Adoor Alathur Aluva Ambalappuzha Chalakudy Changanassery Chavakkad Chengannur Cherthala Chirayinkeezhu Chittur Devikulam Eranad Hosdurg Idukki Iritty Kanayannur Kanjirappally Kannur Karthikappally Karunagappalli Kasaragod Kattakada Kochi Kodungallur Kollam Kondotty Konni Kothamangalam Kottarakkara Kottayam Koyilandy Kozhencherry Kozhikode Kunnamkulam Kunnathunad Kunnathur Kuttanad Mallapally Mananthavady Manjeshwaram Mannarkkad Mavelikkara Meenachil Mukundapuram Muvattupuzha Nedumangad Neyyattinkara Nilambur North Paravur Ottapalam Palakkad Pathanapuram Pattambi Payyanur Peermade Perinthalmanna Ponnani Punalur Ranni Sultan Bathery Taliparamba Thalapilly Thalassery Thamarassery Thiruvalla Thiruvananthapuram Thodupuzha Thrissur Tirur Tirurangadi Udumbanchola Vaikom Varkala Vatakara Vellarikundu Vythiri
Municipal corporations	Thiruvananthapuram Kozhikode Kochi Kollam Thrissur Kannur
Municipalities	Adoor Anthoor Alappuzha Aluva Angamaly Attingal Chalakudy Changanassery Chavakkad Chengannur Cherthala Chittur-Thathamangalam Eloor Guruvayur Irinjalakuda Iritty Kalamassery Kalpetta Kanhangad Karunagappalli Kasaragod Kattappana Kayamkulam Kodungallur Kondotty Kuthuparamba Kothamangalam, Kerala Kottakkal Kottarakkara Kottayam Koyilandy Kunnamkulam Malappuram Manjeri Maradu Mattanur Mavelikkara Muvattupuzha Nedumangad Neyyattinkara Nilambur Nileshwaram North Paravur Ottapalam Pala Palakkad Panoor Parappanangadi Paravur Pathanamthitta Payyanur Perinthalmanna Perumbavoor Ponnani Punalur Shoranur Sreekandapuram Tanur Thalassery Taliparamba Thiruvalla Thodupuzha Thrikkakkara Thrippunithura Tirur Tirurangadi Valanchery Vatakara Vaikom Varkala
Other towns	North Edappal Thavanur Puthanathani Kottakkal Angadipuram Mankada Kuttippuram Karipur Areekode Wandoor Vengara Vallikkunnu Olavanna Kunnamangalam Thamarassery Thiruvambady Kodencheri Balussery Perambra Nadapuram Kuttiady Lakkidi Vythiri Chundale Meppadi Kottappadi Part Muttil Padinharethara Meenangadi Panamaram Pulpally Peravoor Dharmadom Anjarakkandy Muzhappilangad Azhikode Cherukunnu Pappinisseri Kalliasseri Irikkur Alakode Thrikaripur Cheruvathur Bekal Udma Vellarikundu Parappa Karadka Kumbla Mangalpady Uppala Manjeshwar Central Peermade Vandiperiyar Kumily Rajakkad Munnar Devikulam Adimali Kolenchery Puthencruz Kunnathunad Kalady Malayattoor Chottanikkara Udayamperoor Varappuzha Sreemoolanagaram Nedumbassery Mala Kodakara Puthukkad Manaloor Pavaratty Chelakkara Vadakkencherry Alathur Nemmara Puthunagaram Malampuzha Sreekrishnapuram Lakkidi-Perur Thrithala South Parassala Balaramapuram Kattakada Chirayinkeezhu Kilimanoor Parippally Chathannoor Kottiyam Kundara Neendakara Chavara Oachira Sasthamkotta Kunnathur Anchal Kadakkal Pathanapuram Thenmala Kulathupuzha Kozhencherry Konni Ranni Mallapally Kumbanad Aranmula Kulanada Omallur Vadasserikara Parumala Mannar Charummoodu Ambalappuzha Mararikulam Aroor Kanjirappally Erumely Mundakayam Vazhoor Karukachal Pampady Puthuppally Kuravilangad Uzhavoor Thalayolaparambu Kaduthuruthy
Historical regions	Kolathunadu (Kingdom of Cannanore) Zamorin Malabar North Malabar South Malabar Cochin Venad (kingdom) Travancore Travancore–Cochin
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