Suvendu Adhikari is poised to take office as the new Chief Minister of West Bengal, following the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) historic win in the state assembly elections.
Adhikari was elected leader of the BJP legislative party at a meeting held at Kolkata’s Convention Center today where Union Home Minister Amit Shah formally announced his name after the meeting.
Adhikari, 56, will be sworn in tomorrow at 10 a.m. at Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shah, and several senior leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) are expected to attend the ceremony.
In a dramatic electoral outcome, Suvendu Adhikari defeated sitting Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in her home constituency of Bhawanipur. He also retained his Nandigram seat, marking his second consecutive win over Banerjee in the constituency since 2021. The BJP secured a total of 207 seats in the 294-member assembly, ending Mamata Banerjee’s 15-year rule in the state.
Addressing party workers, Amit Shah highlighted the symbolic and ideological significance of the victory. “The ideology we set out with in 1950 was that of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee. Today, his party has formed the government in Bengal,” he said.
Shah added, “Under Mamata Banerjee’s rule, criminals became politicians, leaving little room for development. That will all be over in a few months. This victory paves the way for a Bengal where people’s minds are free from fear and heads are held high with pride.”
During the meeting, Shah reaffirmed the party’s promise to expel illegal immigrants from Bengal, framing it as a matter of national security rather than political polarization. He also emphasized the historical context of the victory, noting that it coincided with the 150th year of Vande Mataram and took place on the land associated with Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.
“Today’s victory is significant beyond the expansion of the party. It marks the BJP-NDA’s establishment in the 21st state and completes a 100-year ideological journey from Gangotri to Gangasagar,” Shah said.
The BJP has signaled a focus on rapid development and administrative reforms in West Bengal. Party sources indicate that Adhikari’s cabinet will include senior leaders from across the state to ensure representation and stability in the new government.
