CM office,revolving door

Sushilkumar Sambhajirao Shinde

The first Dalit CM of Maharashtra,this Gandhi family loyalist took over from Deshmukh on January 18,2003,and ruled till October 30,2004. Though he managed to ensure that the Congress came back to power,despite having lesser seats than the NCP,Shinde was replaced by Deshmukh,and shunted out as the Governor of Andhra Pradesh.

Narayan Tatu Rane

The quintessential Shiv Sainik replaced Manohar Joshi as the CM on February 1,1999 and continued in the post till October 17,1999,when the Sena-BJP dispensation was voted out by the electorate. The former BMC corporator and BEST chairperson,was elected from Malwan in Sindhudurg in 1990,and joined the Congress in 2005 after being forced out of the Shiv Sena.

Manohar Gajanan Joshi

The first Bramhin CM,Joshi pipped contenders in the Sena to emerge as the first non-Congress CM since 1978 when the Sena-BJP alliance seized power from the Sharad Pawar-led Congress. Joshi,who took charge on March 14,1995,walked the tightrope in politics,managing a coalition with the BJP which was propped up by independents and also bearing the barbs directed at him by his party chief Bal Thackeray,before he was eased out on January 31,1999,after allegations of favouring his son-in-law over a plot of land in Pune.

Sudhakarrao Naik

The nephew of former CM Vasantrao Naik,Sudhakarrao was elected to the state legislative council in 1977. He held various portfolios till he became the CM from June 26,1991 to March 8,1993,taking over from and later handing over charge to Pawar. His tenure saw a crackdown on the criminals but was sullied by bomb blasts and riots

in Mumbai.

Shivajirao Patil Nilangekar

The MLA from Nilanga in Latur is in the Assembly since 1962 barring a brief period. However,he was not a member of either House of the legislature when he became the CM on June 3,1985,replacing mentor Vasantdada Patil. He was forced out on March 6,1986,over allegations that he had intervened to increase his daughter’s marks in medical college exams.

Babasaheb Bhosale

A jovial Bhosale replaced Abdul Rehman Antulay as the CM on January 21,1982,and continued in the post till February 1,1983. Born in Satara district,Bhosale,a lawyer,represented Nehru Nagar in Mumbai in the state Assembly and was a minister in Antulay’s Cabinet. The Congress is said to have chosen him to give the state a Maratha face after Antulay.

Abdul Rehman Antulay

Antulay holds a record of sorts as the first Muslim CM of Maharashtra and hailed from Raigad district’s Srivardhan. Rewarded with the post on June 9,1980,for remaining loyal to Indira Gandhi,Antulay was known for his upfront style of administration and eccentric behaviour. He,however,walked into a mine trap after he established the Indira Gandhi Pratibha Pratisthan and was accused of collecting funds by misusing his office and favouring the donors,leading to his ouster on January 21,1982.

Sharadchandra Govindrao Pawar

The heir apparent of former CM Yashwantrao Chavan became the youngest CM of the state at the age of 38 in 1978,when he toppled the Vasantdada Patil-led Congress coalition government to form a government with support from the Janata Party. His government was dismissed on February 17,1980,and President’s rule was imposed. Pawar returned to the Congress in 1984 after merging his Congress (S) and got a second shot at the CM’s post from June 26,1988 to March 4,1990 and later from March 4,1990 to June 25,1991,after which he became the Union Defence Minister,leaving Sudhakarrao Naik to succeed him. After the bomb blasts and communal riots in Mumbai,Pawar had his fourth and most controversial stint as the CM from March 9,1993 to March 13,1995,which saw the Sena-BJP charge him with corruption and links with criminal elements.

Vasantdada Patil

One of the most earthy and grounded Chief Ministers,Vasantdada,a freedom fighter and a mass organiser,had a running feud with Shankarrao Chavan,who was eased out to make way for him as CM on May 17,1977. He held the post four times from May 17,1977 to March 5,1989,from March 5,1978 to July 18,1978,February 2,1983 to March 9,1985 and from March 10,1985 to June 1,1985,when he quit over Prabha Rau being appointed as the MPCC chief.

Shankarrao Bhaurao Chavan

Chavan,who had entered the legislature in 1957 as a MLA from Dharmabad,upstaged the Yashwantrao Chavan and Naik camps and took charge as the CM. Chavan Sr,who held the post twice — February 21,1975 to May 17,1977 and from March 12,1986 to June 26,1988 — was also in harness during the Emergency and his strict style of functioning had earned him the sobriquet ‘Headmaster.’ He was replaced by Vasantdada Patil,who hailed from Sangli,in May 1977.

Vasantrao Naik

Naik,who hailed from Pusad in Vidarbha,and belonged to the nomadic Banjara community,was sworn in as the CM after Balasaheb Sawant. Naik is the longest serving CM of the state,from December 5,1963 to February 20,1975,and is credited with taking decisions which shaped up the state’s industrial economy.

Balasaheb Sawant

Sawant,who hailed from Konkan,was in the post for a mere fortnight from November 24,1963 to December 5,1963.

Marotwar Kannamwar

Kannamwar,who replaced Yashwantrao Chavan,died in office on November 24,1963. He represented Mul Sawli constituency.

Yashwantrao Balwantrao Chavan

After the formation of the state on May 1,1960,Yashwantrao Chavan became its CM and continued in the post till November 19,1962,when he shifted to Delhi as the Union Defence Minister.