Suvendu Adhikari, once a close aide of Mamata Banerjee, scripted history today by taking oath as West Bengal’s first Bharatiya Janata Party Chief Minister.
The ceremony at Raj Bhavan marked a watershed moment in Bengal politics, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Cabinet members, and BJP Chief Ministers from across the country in attendance.
Adhikari was joined by Agnimitra Paul, Nisith Pramanik, Dilip Ghosh, Ashok Kirtania, Kshudiram Tudu, and Sankar Ghosh, who also took oath as ministers. The date was deliberately chosen to coincide with Rabindra Jayanti, celebrating Rabindranath Tagore, in a symbolic assertion that BJP respects Bengal’s cultural ethos.
The event blended politics with culture. Stalls served traditional sweets and jhalmuri, echoing Prime Minister Modi’s campaign trail moments. A poignant highlight came when Modi touched the feet of 98‑year‑old Makhanlal Sarkar, Bengal’s oldest BJP worker, who had been arrested in 1952 alongside Syama Prasad Mookerjee during a nationalist movement.
Adhikari’s elevation signals BJP’s breakthrough in a state long dominated by regional parties. The oath‑taking was not just a political milestone but a carefully choreographed cultural statement, underscoring the party’s intent to weave Bengal’s identity into its governance narrative.
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