| Gandhinagar being the state capital is the seat of government .All major state administrative units are located within the city. At present, the state government is run by Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), the main opposition party is Indian National Congress (INC-I). Political History
 Gujarat politics has revolved around two major political parties, BJP and Congress. The Initial period till 1995 was ruled by Congress party and post 1995 BJP is in power. The first government was formed by the Indian National Congress; Dr. Jivraj Mehta became the first Chief Minister of the State. He was physician by profession and had served as personal doctor to Gandhiji. He joined politics in 1932 and had participated in various freedom movement. After Independence he served in various capacities including finance minister of Bombay state before becoming CM of Gujarat State. He was CM from 1960 -1963.
 Balwantrai Mehta (1899 – 1965) succeeded Dr. Jivaraj Mehta as the next CM of Gujarat. He was also a freedom fighter. He participated in various freedom movements starting from Non-cooperation movement in 1920 till India became Independent in 1947. Mehta had also served at various levels in congress party during this period; he was General Secretary when Pandit Nehru was president of the party. Post Independence, he was twice elected as Member of Parliament and served as chairman of committee on Plan Projects, which paved the way for panchayati raj in India, hence he is also known as the father of the panchayati raj. While serving as the CM of Gujarat in 1965, India-Pakistan war broke out, he went for the kachchh border inspection along with his wife Sarojben, Pilot J.M. Engineer and other crew members, his civilian plane was shot by Pakistani fighter planes. He is probably first ever high level civilian causality of the war since India became Independence.
 Hitendra Desai succeeded as the next Chief Minister of Gujarat after the death of Balwantrai Mehta. Desai, who hails from Surat, was very active in Independence movement and had been to jail during '1942 Quit India Movement'. Post Independence, he served as education minster for the reorganized Bombay State. He also served as Law Minster in Dr. Jivraj Mehta's Ministry. He was CM during 1965-1971 and was the longest serving CM before Narendra Modi. Hitendra Desai also served as president of Parliamentary standing committee and was member of Gujarat University Senate and Advisory committee of All India Radio.  Ghanshyambhai Chotalal Oza (1911 - 2002) served as CM of Gujarat from March 1972 - July 1973. Though, Chimanbhai Patel had majority MLA support, Oza a loyal supporter of Indira Gandhi was chosen as the next CM of Gujarat in 1972 after the assembly election. This didn't go well with Chimanbhai, who revolted in June 1973 forcing the Congress party to remove Oza and make Chimanbhai the next CM of Gujarat. Oza was lawyer by profession (B.A, LLB) and had been part of the politics for two decades before becoming CM. Born at Umrala, Bhavnagar, Oza was active in public life from the young age. He participated in Ranpur and Viramgam satyagrahs, Rajkot Limbdi agitation, and Junagadh Arzi Hukumat struggle before becoming MLA. He first served as MLA for Saurashtra State from 1948 - 1956. He became MLA of Bombay state in 1956 and next year he was elected for the Loksabha (Parliament). He served Loksabha from 1957 to 1967 and later on in 1971-1972. His other notable appointments were Minister of State for Industrial development in Indira Gandhi Ministry in 1971 and special representative to Africa to present Indian point of view on Bangladesh. He also served as member on various committees and was Rajyasabha member from 1978 - 1984.
 Chimanbhai Patel (1929 - 1994) was born at Chikodra village of Vadodra district. He pursued Masters in economics from M.S University. He was the first president of M.S. University student union. Before joining full fledge politics, Patel served as lecturer of various colleges including L.D.Arts and St. Xaviers of Ahmedabad. He was principal of Sardar Vallabhbhai Arts & Commerce College in 1960-61. During his long professional career, he served on various academic committees including the Gujarat University senate and also authored numerous books on economics and economics problem of India. He was first elected MLA from Sankheda constituency in 1967. He joined the Hitendra Desai cabinet in his first term serving as minister for sports, transport, and culture. During his second term as MLA in 1972, he was the frontrunner for the CM post, however he was sidelined by Indira Gandhi and Ghanshyambhai Oza was made the CM. While serving as the minister of Industry, mines, and power, he toppled the Oza government and forced Indira Gandhi to make him as the CM. Ms.Gandhi didn't take Chimanbhai's adventure lightly and constrained him as CM by reducing the central quota to Gujarat. Hardly a year as a CM, Chimanbhai was forced to resign on corruption charges during Navnirman movement in 1974. After being expelled from the Congress party, he joined Janta morcha under the leadership of Babubhai J. Patel. Chimanbhai again became CM of Gujarat in 1990 as the leader of coalition government of Janta party and BJP. When BJP withdraw the support, he got congress support. He again joined congress party while serving as the CM and died in 1994. Though Chimanbhai didn't have any specific political ideology, he was an able leader and had ability to oppose or question the top brass of congress or even Mrs. Gandhi at her height of power.
 Babubhai J. Patel (1911) twice had privilege to serve Gujarat as CM. He became CM during the turbulent times of Nav-Nirman and emergency. Post Chimanbhai's government, the state was under president rule. Janta morcha was formed by The Congress (O), Bharatiya Jana Sangh, Samyukta Socialist Party, and the Swatantra Party under the leadership of Jayprakash narayan and Morarji Desai to oppose Congress and then PM Indira Gandhi. The 1975 election in Gujarat voted Janta morcha into power. Babubhai, an ex-congressman and freedom fighter was the leader of Janta Morcha in Gujarat. The PM Indira Gandhi imposed nationwide emergency after her election victory was invalidated by Allahabad high court. Patel’s government was cut short and president rule was imposed in Gujarat. Post emergency, Janta party won the election under the leadership of Babubhai Patel. He again became CM and his term lasted close to 3 years. Patel was born in Nadiad, Kheda and at the age of 19 participated in Satyagrah movement; he was imprisoned for four months. He was very active in independence movement and held posts like manager, secretary, treasurer for Indian National Congress. He was also president of Kheda jilla and Nadiad taluka congress and later became member of Bombay Assembly in 1940-41. Post Independence, he served as parliamentary secretary to CM, deputy minister of pwd, transport and home, and minister of planning, power, and housing for the Mumbai State. After the formation of Gujarat state, he became Minister in Gujarat government in 1967 and 1971. He also held Vice-chancellor post of Sardar Patel University
 Madhavsinh Solanki (1927) had privilege to become Chief Minister of Gujarat for four different time period. He first became CM during emergency era in 1976-1977. The 2nd time he became Chief Minister in 1980 and completed full term as CM in 1985. Born at Piludra, Bharuch, Madhavsinh started his career as a journalist; he later served as publicity office for Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation. In 1957, he first got elected as MLA for the Bombay Legislative Assembly. He continuously got elected as MLA since the inception of Gujarat state. The fourth and the last time he became CM in 1989- 90, which lasted just three months. He can be considered the last CM of Congress party if the Congress merger with Jantadal and Rashtriya Janta Party is excluded. Before becoming CM, He had served as Minister in various Congress state governments. He also served on various state and national committees during his six decades of political career. In 1993, he became External Affairs Minister of India in Narhsima Rao government but abruptly had to resign owing to Bofors controversy.
| | Member of Parlament (MP) 
L K ADVANI (BJP), Since 1995 ---------------------------------------------- MLA SHAMBHUJI CHELAJI THAKOR (BJP), Since 2007 | |