<Tr> <Th> Formation </Th> <Td> 8 March 1952 </Td> </Tr> <P> The Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh is the chief executive of the north Indian state of Himachal Pradesh . As per the Constitution of India, the governor is a state's de jure head, but de facto executive authority rests with the chief minister . Following elections to the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly, the state's governor usually invites the party (or coalition) with a majority of seats to form the government . The governor appoints the chief minister, whose council of ministers are collectively responsible to the assembly . Given that he has the confidence of the assembly, the chief minister's term is for five years and is subject to no term limits . </P> <P> Since 1952, five people have been Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh . Three of these belonged to the Indian National Congress party, including inaugural office - holder Yashwant Singh Parmar . After his first term ended in 1956, Himachal Pradesh was made a union territory, and the office of Chief Minister ceased to exist . In 1963, Parmar once again became Chief Minister, and during his reign, in 1971, Himachal regained full statehood . Until March 2015, when he was surpassed by Virbhadra Singh, Parmar was the state's longest - serving chief minister . Since 1993, the chief ministership has changed hands every five years between Virbhadra Singh of the Congress and Prem Kumar Dhumal of the Bharatiya Janata Party . The current incumbent is Jai Ram Thakur of the Bharatiya Janata Party having been sworn in on 27 December 2017 . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> No </Th> <Th> Name </Th> <Th> Portrait </Th> <Th_colspan="2"> Term of office </Th> <Th_colspan="2"> Party </Th> <Th> Days in office </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Yashwant Singh Parmar MLA for Pachhad </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 8 March 1952 </Td> <Td> 31 October 1956 </Td> <Td> Indian National Congress </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1699 Days </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th_colspan="8"> Office abolished, 1956--63 </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> (1) </Td> <Td> Yashwant Singh Parmar MLA for Renuka </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1 July 1963 </Td> <Td> 28 January 1977 </Td> <Td> Indian National Congress </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 4961 Days (Total 6660 Days) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Thakur Ram Lal MLA for Jubbal Kotkhai </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 28 January 1977 </Td> <Td> 30 April 1977 </Td> <Td> 93 Days </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td>--</Td> <Td> Vacant (President's rule) </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 30 April 1977 </Td> <Td> 22 June 1977 </Td> <Td> N / A </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Shanta Kumar MLA for Sullah </Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td> 22 June 1977 </Td> <Td> 14 February 1980 </Td> <Td> Janata Party </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 968 Days </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> (2) </Td> <Td> Thakur Ram Lal (2) MLA for Jubbal Kotkhai </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 14 February 1980 </Td> <Td> 7 April 1983 </Td> <Td> Indian National Congress </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1148 Days (Total 1241 Days) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Virbhadra Singh MLA for Jubbal Kotkhai </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 8 April 1983 </Td> <Td> 8 March 1985 </Td> <Td> 700 Days </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 8 March 1985 </Td> <Td> 5 March 1990 </Td> <Td> 1824 Days </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> (3) </Td> <Td> Shanta Kumar (2) MLA for Palampur </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 5 March 1990 </Td> <Td> 15 December 1992 </Td> <Td> Bharatiya Janata Party </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1017 Days (Total 1985 Days) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td>--</Td> <Td> Vacant (President's rule) </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 15 December 1992 </Td> <Td> 3 December 1993 </Td> <Td> N / A </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> (4) </Td> <Td> Virbhadra Singh (3) MLA for Rohru </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 3 December 1993 </Td> <Td> 23 March 1998 </Td> <Td> Indian National Congress </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1572 Days </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Prem Kumar Dhumal (1) MLA for Bamsan </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 24 March 1998 </Td> <Td> 5 March 2003 </Td> <Td> Bharatiya Janata Party </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1807 Days </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> (4) </Td> <Td> Virbhadra Singh (4) MLA for Rohru </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 6 March 2003 </Td> <Td> 30 December 2007 </Td> <Td> Indian National Congress </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1761 Days </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> (5) </Td> <Td> Prem Kumar Dhumal (2) MLA for Bamsan </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 30 December 2007 </Td> <Td> 25 December 2012 </Td> <Td> Bharatiya Janata Party </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1817 Days (Total 3624 Days) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> (4) </Td> <Td> Virbhadra Singh (5) MLA for Shimla Rural </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 25 December 2012 </Td> <Td> 27 December 2017 </Td> <Td> Indian National Congress </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1828 Days <P> (Total 7680 Days) </P> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 6 </Td> <Td> Jai Ram Thakur MLA for Seraj </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 27 December 2017 </Td> <Td> Incumbent </Td> <Td> Bharatiya Janata Party </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 212 Days </Td> </Tr> </Table>

Who is the ruling party in himachal pradesh