Suvendu Adhikari to take oath as first-ever BJP CM of West Bengal today
As West Bengal enters the BJP-era of governance, its Legislative Party leader Suvendu Adhikari is set to take oath as the chief minister today, Saturday.
Suvendu is all set to be the first BJP CM of West Bengal after the party recorded a thumping victory in the Legislative Assembly elections, securing 207 seats.
Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, JP Nadda and Dharmendra Pradhan, along with Tripura CM Manik Saha and Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, arrived in Kolkata on Friday to attend the swearing-in ceremony. Several senior BJP leaders are expected at the ceremony.
Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday announced Adhikari as the Leader of West Bengal BJP Legislative Party, after chairing a party meeting in Kolkata.
"I announce the name of Suvendu Adhikari elected as Leader of West Bengal BJP Legislative Party," Shah said. Shortly after the announcement, Adhikari met the West Bengal governor RN Ravi and officially staked a claim to form the BJP government in the state. Senior BJP leaders, including Dilip Ghosh, Locket Chatterjee and Tapas Roy, accompanied Adhikari to the Lok Bhavan.
Adhikari expressed gratitude to BJP national president Nitin Nabin and Union home minister Amit Shah.
Speaking to the reporters after his appointment, the CM-elect said, "I express gratitude to the national president, to Amit Shah. With the blessings of the prime minister, I have been elected as the Leader of the Legislative Party. I have received support from all MLAs. There is democracy in the BJP. We will fulfil the commitment of the BJP made during elections for the organisation and the public."
BJP leader Agnimitra Paul called Suvendu Adhikari a "very apt" choice for the Leader of the Legislative Party in West Bengal, asserting that he has worked tirelessly both inside and outside the Assembly over the past five years.
Adhikari won both the Nandigram and Bhabanipur seats in the 2026 elections. Repeating Nandigram of 2021, this time around, he defeated outgoing CM Mamata Banerjee from Bhabanipur by a margin of over 15,000 votes.
In the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, the BJP secured 207 seats, while the Trinamool Congress (TMC) won 80 seats, putting an end to its 15-year rule in the State. After 34 years of the Left and 15 years of TMC, Bengal once again echoed the spirit of 'Poriborton (change)'.