Following elections to the Goa Legislative Assembly, the state's governor usually invites the party (or coalition) with a majority of seats to form the government.

In 1987 Goa achieved full statehood, while Daman and Diu became a separate union territory.

The first was Dayanand Bandodkar of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, who was succeeded by his daughter Shashikala Kakodkar, Goa's only woman chief minister.

Pratapsingh Rane of the Indian National Congress, during whose reign Goa had achieved statehood, is the longest-serving officeholder, with over 15 years across four discontinuous stints.

Goa, Daman and Diu (Konkani: Goem, Damanv ani Diu) was a union territory of the Republic of India established in 1961 following the annexation of Portuguese India, with Maj Gen K P Candeth as its first Military Governor.