The BJP’s B.S. Yediyurappa recently passed a floor test to become Chief Minister of Karnataka. The southern State has a relatively low average tenure for Chief Ministers (close to two years), as several of them didn’t complete their terms.
A look at State-wise Chief Ministerial tenures since 1977 shows that the average tenure for a Chief Minister in West Bengal is over 10 years, the highest among all States. The CPI(M) ruled West Bengal for over 30 years with just two Chief Ministers.
Goa had the lowest average tenure of 1.5 years for a Chief Minister. The first graph shows the average tenure period for States, while the second shows the number of times the Chief Minister has changed.
It is to be noted that Telangana and Chhattisgarh are comparatively younger States.
Chief Minsiters have changed in Tamil Nadu the highest number of times due to imposition of President’s rule in multiple instances, frequent shifts of power due to high anti-incumbency and a stand-in Chief Minister being sworn in because of legal troubles of the incumbent.
In Karnataka, where the baton was passed from H.D. Kumaraswamy to Mr. Yediyurappa, Chief Ministers have changed 20 times since 1977.
Longest reigns
With five full terms in power, Pawan Kumar Chamling, former Sikkim Chief Minister, has been the longest-serving Chief Minister of a State since Independence. Jyoti Basu of West Bengal held the Chief Minister’s post for 23 years.
No Chief Minister at the helm
Jammu and Kashmir has recorded the highest cumulative period of President’s rule or Governor’s rule since 1977. The table lists the top five States with the most months without elected governments.
| State | Cumulative months of President's/Governor's rule |
|---|---|
| Jammu and Kashmir | 109 |
| Punjab | 83 |
| Assam | 35 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 33 |
| Manipur | 28 |
