West Bengal’s political order changed dramatically after BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari was elected leader of the BJP legislature party in Kolkata. The decision clears the way for him to become the State’s first BJP Chief Minister.
The oath-taking ceremony will take place on May 9 at Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president Nitin Nabin, Union ministers, and Chief Ministers from NDA-ruled States are expected to attend.
The BJP’s victory marks the end of the Trinamool Congress’s 15-year rule in Bengal. It is also the first time the BJP has formed a government in the State after decades of political struggle.
Amit Shah chaired the BJP legislature party meeting, where Adhikari’s name received unanimous support. Addressing the press later, Shah described the result as a major political and ideological victory for the BJP.
The Bengal result is significant for another reason. Mamata Banerjee’s image of political invincibility has suffered its biggest collapse since she came to power in 2011.
From Mamata’s Trusted Ally To BJP’s Most Powerful Face In Bengal
Suvendu Adhikari’s rise carries deep political irony. He was once among Mamata Banerjee’s closest and most influential associates inside the Trinamool Congress.
Adhikari played a major role in the 2007 Nandigram movement. The agitation helped Mamata Banerjee weaken the Left Front government and eventually come to power in 2011.
He later served as a Cabinet Minister in the Trinamool Congress government. However, tensions inside the party grew steadily over the years.
His exit from the TMC in December 2020 reshaped Bengal politics. At that time, the Trinamool leadership dismissed his departure as political opportunism. The BJP saw something much bigger.
Adhikari brought organisational strength, regional influence and strong grassroots connections. More importantly, he became the BJP’s most aggressive political face in Bengal.
Over the next five years, he repeatedly attacked the Mamata Banerjee government on corruption, cadre violence and law and order issues. He also accused the TMC of pursuing appeasement politics.
This election completed Adhikari’s political transformation.
He retained Nandigram and also defeated Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur, her political stronghold. The victory carried enormous symbolic value for the BJP.
The same leader who once helped Mamata Banerjee rise in Bengal politics has now become the face of her defeat.
Amit Shah Calls Bengal Verdict A Historic Mandate
After the legislature party meeting, Amit Shah launched a sharp attack on both the Left Front and the outgoing Trinamool Congress government.
Shah claimed Bengal had suffered decades of political intimidation and weak governance. He alleged that free voting became increasingly difficult under successive governments.
“For five decades, West Bengal suffered a nightmare in terms of law and order and economic development,” Shah said.
The Home Minister also linked the BJP’s victory to the ideological legacy of Syama Prasad Mookerjee. He said the saffron party had now established political continuity “from Gangotri to Gangasagar”.
Violence Continues After Election Results
Despite the BJP’s celebrations, tensions remain high across Bengal following incidents of post-poll violence.
The situation worsened earlier this week after unidentified gunmen shot dead Chandranath Rath, a close aide and personal assistant of Suvendu Adhikari, in the North 24 Parganas district.
Security agencies have increased surveillance in border areas as investigations continue.
Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee has refused to formally accept the verdict. She alleged that the election outcome resulted from a conspiracy rather than public support.
Politically, however, Bengal has already entered a new era. After years of expansion, the BJP has finally captured the State’s highest office, with Suvendu Adhikari at the centre of that breakthrough.