KOLKATA – In a historic ceremony that marks a seismic shift in Eastern Indian politics, Suvendu Adhikari was sworn in as the first Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Chief Minister of West Bengal on Saturday, May 9. The ceremony, held at 11 AM, officially brings an end to the 15-year tenure of the Trinamool Congress (TMC).
The atmosphere in the capital was electric as thousands of supporters gathered to witness what the BJP has termed the “Dawn of Sonar Bangla.” Governor R. N. Ravi administered the oath of office and secrecy to the 57-year-old leader in the presence of India’s top political brass.
The ceremony signaled the national importance of the victory, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah leading the contingent of VVIPs. They were joined by chief ministers from several NDA-ruled states and senior party veterans. The event served not just as an inauguration, but as a massive show of strength for the BJP, which has spent years working to breach the TMC’s “fortress” in Bengal.
Adhikari’s elevation follows a landslide victory in which the BJP secured 207 out of 294 seats. The “Giant Slayer” of Bengal politics once again proved his mettle by winning the high-profile Bhabanipur seat long considered Mamata Banerjee’s home turf—by a margin of 15,115 votes.
On Friday, during a legislature party meeting chaired by Amit Shah, the newly elected MLAs unanimously chose Adhikari as their leader. Shortly after the meeting, Adhikari met Governor Ravi at Lok Bhavan to formally stake his claim to form the government.
“This is a victory for the people of Bengal who were yearning for ‘Ashol Poriborton’ (Real Change). Our priority will be to restore law and order and bring industrial growth back to this great state,” Adhikari stated following the ceremony.
The BJP’s victory marks one of the most significant political shifts in Bengal’s history since the fall of the Left Front in 2011. By securing over 200 seats, the party has obtained a clear mandate to overhaul the state’s administration.
However, the new Chief Minister faces immediate challenges. The transition comes amid a polarized political climate, and Adhikari has promised that his first priorities will include economic revitalization and the implementation of central welfare schemes that had previously seen friction between the state and the union government.
As the saffron flag flies over the administrative corridors of Bengal for the first time, all eyes are now on Suvendu Adhikari to see how he navigates the transition from a fierce opposition firebrand to the executive head of one of India’s most culturally and politically complex states.
Leave a comment