| Sl. No. | Name | Party | Period |
| 1 | Chengalaraya Reddy | Congress | October 25, 1947 – March 30, 1952 |
| 2 | Kengal Hanumanthaiah | Congress | March 30, 1952 – August 19, 1956 |
| 3 | Kadidal Manjappa | Congress | August 19, 1956 – October 31, 1956 |
| 4 | S. Nijalingappa | Congress | November 1, 1956 – April 10, 1957 |
| 5 | S. Nijalingappa | Congress | April 10, 1957 – May 16, 1958 |
| 6 | B.D. Jatti | Congress | May 16, 1958 – March 9, 1962 |
| 7 | S.R. Kanthi | Congress | March 14, 1962 – June 20, 1962 |
| 8 | S. Nijalingappa | Congress | June 21, 1962 – March 3, 1967 |
| 9 | S. Nijalingappa | Congress | March 3, 1967 – May 29, 1968 |
| 10 | Veerendra Patil | Congress | May 29, 1968 – March 18, 1971 |
| Presidents Rule | March 19, 1971 – March 20, 1972 | ||
| 11 | D. Devaraj Urs | Congress | March 20, 1972 – December 31, 1977 |
| Presidents Rule | December 31, 1977 – February 28, 1978 | ||
| 12 | D. Devaraj Urs | Congress | February 28, 1978 – January 7, 1980 |
| 13 | R. Gundu Rao | Congress | January 12, 1980 – January 6, 1983 |
| 14 | Ramakrishna Hegde | Janata Party | January 10, 1983 – December 29, 1984 |
| 15 | Ramakrishna Hegde | Janata Party | March 8, 1985 – February 13, 1986 |
| 16 | Ramakrishna Hegde | Janata Party | February 16, 1986 – August 10, 1988 |
| 17 | S.R. Bommai | Janata Party | August 13, 1988 – April 21, 1989 |
| Presidents Rule | April 21, 1989 – November 30, 1989 | ||
| 18 | Veerendra Patil | Congress | November 30, 1989 – October 10, 1990 |
| Presidents Rule | October 10, 1990 – October 17, 1990 | ||
| 19 | S. Bangarappa | Congress | October 17, 1990 – November 19, 1992 |
| 20 | M. Veerappa Moily | Congress | November 19, 1992 – December 11, 1994 |
| 21 | H.D. Deve Gowda | Janata Dal | December 11, 1994 – May 31, 1996 |
| 22 | J.H. Patel | Janata Dal | May 31, 1996 – October 07, 1999 |
| 23 | S.M. Krishna | Congress | October 11, 1999 – May 28, 2004 |
| 24 | Dharam Singh | Congress
[Congress-JD(s) coalition] |
May 28, 2004 – Jan 27, 2006 |
| 24 | H D Kumaraswamy | JD(s)
[BJP-JD(s) coalition] |
Feb 3, 2006 – October 8, 2007 |
| 25 | Presidents Rule | October 9, 2007 – November 8, 2007 | |
| 26 | B S Yeddyurappa | BJP
[BJP-JD(s) coalition] |
November 12, 2007 – November 19, 2007 |
| 27 | Presidents Rule | November 20, 2007 – May 29, 2008 | |
| 28 | B S Yeddyurappa | BJP | May 30, 2008 – |
