Suvendu Adhikari Becomes BJP’s First Chief Minister in West Bengal
Suvendu Adhikari has been elected as the first Chief Minister of Bharatiya Janata Party in West Bengal. He is set to assume office on Saturday. The announcement was officially made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the BJP legislature party meeting held in Kolkata on Friday under his leadership. Once considered one of the closest associates of former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and a key leader in All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), Suvendu Adhikari later joined the BJP. He also defeated Mamata Banerjee twice in elections. This time, the BJP worked with a clear target of forming the government in West Bengal and successfully achieved it. Over the past several years, Mamata Banerjee had become a major political challenge for the BJP. Senior BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, along with local party leaders, reportedly executed a well-planned strategy to remove the TMC government from power.
With the BJP government set to take charge on Saturday, a new political chapter is expected to begin in West Bengal politics. Although several names were discussed for the Chief Minister’s post, as widely expected, the first opportunity ultimately went to Suvendu Adhikari. There is speculation that the BJP high command may appoint two Deputy Chief Ministers to maintain administrative and regional balance. Reports suggest that one of the Deputy CM posts could be given to a woman leader as part of the party’s focus on women’s empowerment. Political observers also believe that North Bengal and tribal regions may receive significant representation in the new cabinet as part of regional balancing efforts.
The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled to take place at 11:00 AM on Saturday at the historic Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, BJP national leaders, and Chief Ministers from several states are expected to attend the event. Suvendu Adhikari contested from both Bhabanipur and Nandigram constituencies in this election and secured impressive victories in both seats. In particular, he defeated Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur by a margin of over 15,000 votes, earning the tag of a “giant killer.” In the 294-member West Bengal Assembly, the BJP won a massive 207 seats and secured a clear majority, while the TMC was restricted to just 80 seats.
Mamata Banerjee had earlier claimed that she had not truly lost the election and alleged that the BJP had “taken away” nearly 100 seats from her party. She also made sensational remarks saying that she would neither go to Lok Bhavan nor resign from the Chief Minister’s post. As stated earlier, she did not submit her resignation. Following the expiry of the constitutional deadline, Governor R. N. Ravi dissolved the West Bengal Assembly and also dismissed the Mamata Banerjee cabinet, thereby clearing the way for the formation of the new government.
