Prime Minister of India

The Prime Minister of India is the most powerful person of the government of the India. Although occupying the second rank after the president of India, the Prime Minister is the true chief of the government, the role of the president being largely ceremonial.

India enjoys a parliamentary Régime of Gouvernement modelled on that of the the United Kingdom of which it was a colony until in 1947. In this mode, the Prime Minister is generally the leader of the party - or of the coalition of parties - which can obtain a majority with the Lower House (Lok Sabha) of the Parlement of India.

There were thirteen Prime Ministers to date (2004), some were it during several mandates: Jawaharlal Nehru 4 times (1947-1952, 1952-1957, 1957-1962 and 1962-1964), Indira Gandhi 4 times (1966-1967, 1967-1971, 1971-1977, 1980-1984) and Atal Behari Vajpayee 2 times. Gulzarilal Nanda which occupied the station by interim, during two transitional periods, is generally not counted like full Prime Minister.

The first years of the Indian Republic were dominated by the Parti of the Congress which had Prime Ministers resulting from its rows during the 30 years which followed independence. In 1977 Morarji Desai was the first Prime Minister coming from another party. The present Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh is resulting from the Parti the Congress.

Note: the color in the table symbolizes the political orientation of the parties in power (pink left, blue right)

See too

Political of India
President of India

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