GUWAHATI: Suvendu Adhikari was sworn in as West Bengal’s first BJP chief minister on Saturday, May 9, marking the end of the Trinamool Congress’s 15-year rule in the state.
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The grand swearing-in ceremony, held at the iconic Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata, was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, JP Nadda, along with several Union ministers and chief ministers from BJP-ruled states.
West Bengal Governor RN Ravi administered the oath of office and secrecy to Adhikari and members of his cabinet. Senior BJP leaders including Agnimitra Paul, Nisith Pramanik, Dilip Ghosh, Ashok Kirtania and Kshudiram Tudu also took oath as ministers in the new government.
The BJP chose May 9 for the oath-taking ceremony to coincide with Rabindra Jayanti, celebrating the birth anniversary of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.
The West Bengal Assembly elections 2026 proved to be a watershed moment in the state’s political history. The BJP secured a decisive mandate by winning 207 seats in the 294-member Assembly, while the Trinamool Congress was reduced to 80 seats.
The election also recorded unprecedented voter participation. West Bengal registered its highest-ever voter turnout since Independence, with Phase I polling at 93.19 per cent and Phase II at 91.66 per cent, resulting in an overall turnout of 92.47 per cent.
Adhikari further cemented his political dominance by defeating Mamata Banerjee in the high-profile Bhabanipur constituency by more than 15,000 votes, while also retaining his stronghold in Nandigram with a comfortable margin.