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List of Chief Ministers of Karnataka from 1947 to 2026, Check Now

Chief Ministers of Karnataka: K. Chengalaraya Reddy was the first Chief Minister of Karnataka. Read the full list of chief ministers of Karnataka from the below article.
authorImageParul Rishi12 Jun, 2026
Chief Ministers of Karnataka

Chief Ministers of Karnataka have been really important in shaping how the state grows and changes. Karnataka used to be called Mysore State before it became Karnataka in 1956. Since then, different leaders have taken charge as Chief Minister, each leaving their mark on the state's progress. Starting from K. Chengalaraya Reddy, who was the first Chief Minister after India got independence, to leaders like D. K. Shivakumar today, they've all faced different challenges and made decisions that affected things like schools, farms, roads, and programs to help people.

Basically, these leaders have all played a big part in making Karnataka what it is today, and each one brought something different to the table.

List of Chief Ministers of Karnataka

Karnataka used to be called Mysore State until 1956 when it became Karnataka because of a law called the States Reorganisation Act. K. Chengalaraya Reddy was the first Chief Minister after India became independent, and he served from 1947 to 1952.

List of Chief Ministers of Karnataka From 1947 to 2026

Candidates can go through the list of Chief Ministers of Karnataka from 1947 to 2026 from the below table:-
List of Chief Ministers of Karnataka From 1947 to 2026
Chief Ministers From To
D. K. Shivakumar  3 June 2026 Present
Siddaramaiah 20 May 2023 3 June 2026
Basavaraj Bommai 28 Jul 2021 20 May 2023
B. S. Yeddyurappa 26 Jul 2019 26 Jul 2021
H. D. Kumaraswamy 23 May 2018 23 Jul 2019
B. S. Yeddyurappa 17 May 2018 23 May 2018
Siddaramaiah 13 May 2013 15 May 2018
Jagadish Shettar 12 Jul 2012 12 May 2013
D. V. Sadananda Gowda 04 Aug 2011 12 Jul 2012
B. S. Yeddyurappa 30 May 2008 31 Jul 2011
President’s rule 20 Nov 2007 27 May 2008
B. S. Yeddyurappa 12 Nov 2007 19 Nov 2007
President’s rule 09 Oct 2007 11 Nov 2007
H. D. Kumaraswamy 03 Feb 2006 08 Oct 2007
Dharam Singh 28 May 2004 28 Jan 2006
S. M. Krishna 11 Oct 1999 28 May 2004
J. H. Patel 31 May 1996 07 Oct 1999
H. D. Deve Gowda 11 Dec 1994 31 May 1996
M. Veerappa Moily 19 Nov 1992 11 Dec 1994
S. Bangarappa 17 Oct 1990 19 Nov 1992
President’s rule 10 Oct 1990 17 Oct 1990
Veerendra Patil 30 Nov 1989 10 Oct 1990
President’s rule 21 Apr 1989 30 Nov 1989
S. R. Bommai 13 Aug 1988 21 Apr 1989
Ramakrishna Hegde 16 Feb 1986 10 Aug 1988
Ramakrishna Hegde 08 Mar 1985 13 Feb 1986
Ramakrishna Hegde 10 Jan 1983 29 Dec 1984
R. Gundu Rao 12 Jan 1980 06 Jan 1983
D. Devaraj Urs 28 Feb 1978 07 Jan 1980
President’s rule 31 Dec 1977 28 Feb 1978
D. Devaraj Urs 20 Mar 1972 31 Dec 1977
President’s rule 19 Mar 1971 20 Mar 1972
Veerendra Patil 29 May 1968 18 Mar 1971
S. Nijalingappa 21 Jun 1962 28 May 1968
S. R. Kanthi 14 Mar 1962 20 Jun 1962
B. D. Jatti 16 May 1958 09 Mar 1962
S. Nijalingappa 01 Nov 1956 16 May 1958
Kadidal Manjappa 19 Aug 1956 31 Oct 1956
K. Hanumanthaiah 30 Mar 1952 19 Aug 1956
K. Chengalaraya Reddy 25 Oct 1947 30 Mar 1952

First Chief Ministers of Karnataka

Chengalaraya Reddy was a really important person in Karnataka's history. He fought hard for India's freedom from British rule and was born on February 10, 1901, in Kolar. Because of his dedication and leadership, he became the first Chief Minister of Karnataka after independence. During his time as Chief Minister, he worked really hard to make sure things like schools, farms, and helping people were taken care of. His work laid the foundation for Karnataka to grow and improve even more in the future. People still remember Chengalaraya Reddy today for all he did to make Karnataka better and for his commitment to freedom and progress.

Current Chief Ministers of Karnataka

The current Chief Minister of Karnataka in 2026 is D. K. Shivakumar. He is serving as the head of the Karnataka state government and is responsible for overseeing the administration and development initiatives of the state.

Election Process of Chief Ministers of Karnataka

  • The election of the Chief Minister in Karnataka is based on a parliamentary system.
  • The leader of the majority party in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly is invited by the Governor to form the government.
  • The leader is chosen through internal party processes or selection mechanisms established by the political party.
  • After general elections, members of the Legislative Assembly vote for the leader of their respective parties.
  • The party with the majority of seats forms the government, and its leader becomes the Chief Minister.
  • In cases of no clear majority, alliances or coalitions may be formed to establish a majority.
  • The leader of the coalition with the majority is invited to take office as the Chief Minister.
  • The Chief Minister is sworn in by the Governor, formally assuming office.
  • The Chief Minister remains in power as long as they maintain the confidence of the majority in the Legislative Assembly.
  • A vote of no confidence or failure to pass crucial legislation may lead to resignation or a call for fresh elections.

List of Chief Ministers of Karnataka Important Facts

  • B.S. Yediyurappa : He holds the record for the shortest tenure as Chief Minister in 2018, serving for only 2.5 days.
  • D. Devaraj Urs : He served as the Chief Minister for nearly seven years in the 1970s, making him the longest-serving CM in Karnataka's history.
  • Ramakrishna Hegde : He holds the distinction of serving the most number of terms, which were three, and these terms were not consecutive.
  • Veerendra Patil : He had the largest gap between his two terms as Chief Minister, spanning about 17 years.
  • B. D. Jatti: In addition to his role as Chief Minister, he also served as the fifth Vice President of India.
  • H. D. Deve Gowda: He deliberately shortened his term as Chief Minister (1994–1996) to become India’s Prime Minister

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Chief Ministers of Karnataka FAQs

Q1. Who is the current Chief Minister of Karnataka?

Ans. The current Chief Minister of Karnataka is D. K. Shivakumar.

Q2. How many times has B. S. Yeddyurappa served as Chief Minister of Karnataka?

Ans. B. S. Yeddyurappa has served as the Chief Minister of Karnataka four times, with his terms spanning from 12th November 2007 to 19th November 2007, 30th May 2008 to 31st July 2011, 17th May 2018 to 23rd May 2018, and 26th July 2019 to 26th July 2021.

Q3. Who was the first Chief Minister of Karnataka?

Ans. K. Chengalaraya Reddy was the first Chief Minister of Karnataka. He served from 25th October 1947 to 30th March 1952.

Q4. Who served the longest term as Chief Minister of Karnataka?

Ans. D. Devaraj Urs served the longest term as Chief Minister of Karnataka, from 20th March 1972 to 31st December 1977.

Q5. Who was the Chief Minister during the President's rule in Karnataka?

Ans. During the President's rule, there was no elected Chief Minister. Instead, the state was directly governed by the President of India through a designated representative.
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