List of Chief Ministers of Punjab (1947-2024): Punjab CM List

Chief Ministers of Punjab: The Chief Minister of Punjab holds the highest executive office in the state of Punjab, India. Dr. Gopi Chand Bhargava assumed the role of Chief Minister of Punjab on August 15, 1947, marking the beginning of the state’s journey as an independent part of India. In a recent development, Bhagwant Mann, a prominent leader from the Aam Aadmi Party, is set to be officially inaugurated as the Chief Minister of Punjab on March 16, 2022, marking a significant shift in the political landscape of the state.

In this article, We have covered the completed List of Chief ministers in Punjab, Party, Tenure, Constituency, Notable CM of Punjab, and many more.

Let’s dive right in.

List of Chief Ministers of Punjab

The following is a list of the Chief Ministers of Punjab along with party and Tenure:

Name	Party	Term Start	Term End
Gopi Chand Bhargava	INC	1947	1949
Bhim Sen Sachar	INC	1949	1949
Gian Singh Rarewala	INC	1949	1952
S. Kairon	Akali Dal	1956	1964
Ram Kishan	INC	1964	1966
Gurmukh Singh Musafir	Akali Dal	1966	1967
Gurnam Singh	INC	1967	1967
Lachhman Singh Gill	INC	1967	1970
Parkash Singh Badal	Akali Dal	1970	1971
Zail Singh	INC	1972	1975
Giani Zail Singh	INC	1977	1980
Darbara Singh	INC	1980	1983
Parkash Singh Badal	Akali Dal	1980	1985
Surjit Singh Barnala	Akali Dal	1985	1987
Beant Singh	INC	1992	1995
Harcharan Singh Brar	INC	1995	1996
Rajinder Kaur Bhattal	INC	1996	1997
Parkash Singh Badal	Akali Dal	1997	2002
Amarinder Singh	INC	2002	2007
Parkash Singh Badal	Akali Dal	2007	2017
Amarinder Singh	INC	2017	2021
Charanjit Singh Channi	INC	2021	2022
Bhagwant Mann	AAP	2022	Present

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Current Chief Minister of Punjab

The current CM Bhagwant Mann, who took the office work from 16 March 2022, is from the Aam Aadmi Party which received a victory with huge number of votes. He is known for his direct oration with the people and the candid style. His main motive is to make Punjab government more accountable and responsible for the welfare of the people.

Name	Bhagwant Mann
Tenure	16 March 2022 – Ongoing
Position	Chief Minister of Punjab
Address	Room No. 1, 2nd Floor, Punjab Civil Secretariat, Sector – 1, Chandigarh
CM Helpline	0172-2740769, 0172-2740325
CM Mail ID	cm-pb@gov.in
Official Website of the Government	https://punjab.gov.in/

First Chief Minister of Punjab

Here is the brief overview of first chief minister of Punjab:

Name: Gopi Chand Bhargava

Office: First Chief Minister of Punjab, India

Assumed Office: August 15, 1947

Tenure: Served as Chief Minister during the initial years of Punjab’s existence as an independent state after India’s independence.

Role: Played a crucial role in the early administration and governance of the newly formed state of Punjab.

Historical Significance: Gopi Chand Bhargava’s appointment marked the beginning of Punjab’s journey as a distinct state in post-independence India.

Gopi Chand Bhargava, an Indian National Congressman, became the first Chief Minister of Punjab on August 15, 1947, coinciding with India’s independence.
Bhim Sen Sachar, also a member of the Indian National Congress, succeeded Bhargava and faced the challenging task of resettling Sikh and Hindu immigrants from West Punjab, which had become part of Pakistan.
Giani Kartar Singh briefly led a coalition government as the first non-Congress Chief Minister from 1951 to 1953.
Factionalism and defections later brought the Congress party back to power under Bhargava’s leadership from 1953 to 1956.
The early Chief Ministers focused on restoring law and order after the tumultuous partition and worked on rehabilitating approximately 5 million refugees.
They implemented significant policies such as granting land rights to resettled farmers and refugees and invested in canal irrigation to support the agrarian economy.

Influential Chief Ministers of Punjab

Partap Singh Kairon (1956-64) is considered the architect of post-independence Punjab owing to his developmental focus on irrigation and industrialization. Giani Zail Singh (1972-77) also took initiatives for Punjab’s progress through emphasis on education and power projects. However, the most influential CM remains Prakash Singh Badal owing to his prolonged tenure spanning over two decades across non-contiguous periods.

Though indicted for corruption, he enshrined the interests of Sikhs and Punjabi farmers. Captain Amarinder Singh’s first term (2002-07) reined in hardliner groups but his second tenure could not fulfill huge expectations. Emergent leader Bhagwant Mann will also be defined by his ability to chart a new course.

Interesting Facts – Chief Ministers of Punjab

Here are 7 interesting facts related to special Chief Ministers of Punjab:

Giani Zail Singh, served as India’s first Sikh President from 1982 to 1987.
Captain Amarinder Singh comes from the royal family of Patiala. He is fond of farming, cuisine, wines, traditional automobiles and dresses, and books.
Parkash Singh Badal, is one of India’s longest-serving Chief Ministers with over twenty years of rule. He enjoys a simple lifestyle.
Charanjit Singh Channi is Punjab’s first Dalit CM. He is also known as ‘Gandhi of Punjab’ for his humble personality.
Surjit Singh Barnala, faced immense opposition all through his tenure. His rule is known as the ‘Dark Age’ of Punjab.
Darbara Singh, CM from 1980 to 1983, became a well-known Akali leader however his ties with Indira Gandhi brought about his fallout with Akalis in the 1990s.
Harcharan Singh Brar, CM for around forty days in 1995, is the best Punjab CM who has served as governor throughout his long political profession.

Notable Chief Ministers of Punjab

The following are the Some Notable Chief Ministers of Punjab:

Pratap Singh Kairon: He served as the Chief Minister of Punjab from 1956 to 1964 and was known for his contributions to industrialization and infrastructure development in the state.

Giani Zail Singh: Giani Zail Singh served as the Chief Minister of Punjab from 1972 to 1977. He later went on to become the President of India in 1982.

Parkash Singh Badal: Parkash Singh Badal has been one of the longest-serving Chief Ministers of Punjab, with multiple terms in office. He is associated with the Shiromani Akali Dal and has played a significant role in state politics.

Captain Amarinder Singh: Captain Amarinder Singh served as the Chief Minister of Punjab in two non-consecutive terms, from 2002 to 2007 and from 2017 to 2021. He is known for his leadership during challenging times and efforts to address various issues in the state.

Beant Singh: Beant Singh served as the Chief Minister of Punjab from 1992 until his assassination in 1995. He was known for his tough stance against terrorism and efforts to restore peace in the state.

Harcharan Singh Brar: Harcharan Singh Brar was the Chief Minister of Punjab from 1995 to 1996. He made efforts to promote education and social development in the state.

Bhagwant Mann: Bhagwant Mann is a prominent leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and assumed office as the Chief Minister of Punjab in 2022. His election marked a significant change in the state’s political landscape.

Challenges Faced by CM of Punjab

The immediate challenge in the aftermath of partition was restoring law and order given the extensive communal violence and migration. Early CMs Sachar and Bhargava focused on stabilizing security, resettling 5 million refugees, and rebuilding lives and infrastructure amidst a scarcity of resources.

In the 1980s, state leaders had to tackle the secessionist Khalistan militant movement which had emerged from Sikh grievances over Hindutva groups’ dominance nationally.
Tactics involved political compromises and heavy-handed police operations.
Beant Singh managed to largely curb terrorism by the 1990s but the psychological scars remained while the Sikh diaspora kept the separatist dreams alive.

More recently, economic challenges around agricultural stagnation, declining competitiveness vis-a-vis other states, limited industrialization beyond the Green Revolution gains, rising unemployment among the youth, and a drug abuse epidemic have dented Punjab’s progress. Initiatives around skill development, easing regulatory burdens, power sector reforms, and the automotive industry by leaders like Captain Amrinder Singh have tried to address these but with limited success so far.

Thus, balancing religious aspirations and identity politics with developmental objectives remains an enduring challenge alongside reducing factional friction, managing populist demands, and fostering collaborations with the central government for small, landlocked Punjab. Tackling the economic morass and agriculture growth bottleneck, however, remains the key priority if the state aims to regain its past prosperity.

Conclusion on Chief Ministers of Punjab

In conclusion, the list of Punjab’s Chief Ministers shows the state’s varied political environment from its founding in 1966. Every leader of the state, from Giani Gurmukh Singh Musafir to the current ones, has been important in overcoming obstacles and advancing the state’s growth. The Chief Minister’s tenure serves as an example of Punjab’s political leadership’s flexibility and democratic process. These leaders’ legacies will surely impact the state’s future course as it develops further, leaving a historical record of advancement and change.

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FAQs on List of Chief Ministers of Punjab

After independence, who became Punjab’s first Chief Minister?

The first Chief Minister of Punjab after India received independence was Bim Sen Sachar. He was a member of the Indian National Congress.

Who is Punjab’s longest-serving Chief Minister to this point?

Prakash Singh Badal of the Shiromani Akali Dal has been Punjab’s longest-serving Chief Minister to date. He worked as Chief Minister of Punjab for over 19 years.

When was the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) established and who was the Chief Minister during the establishment of the university?

The renowned Punjab Agricultural University was established in 1962. Gopi Chand Bhargava was the Chief Minister during the establishment of university.

Who changed into the leader architect of the Green Revolution in Punjab?

Partap Singh Kairon, who served as Punjab’s Chief Minister from 1956-1964, is considered the important thing architect of the Green Revolution in the kingdom.