West Bengal: Suvendu Adhikari elected leader of BJP legislative party; to take oath as CM at 11 am tomorrow

Kolkata: BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari is set to become the new Chief Minister of West Bengal. He was elected as the leader during a meeting of the BJP legislative party held in Kolkata on Friday. His name was announced in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Majhi. Suvendu Adhikari secured victories in both the Nandigram and Bhabanipur constituencies during the West Bengal Assembly elections. Notably, he defeated Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur.

West Bengal BJP President Samik Bhattacharya proposed Suvendu Adhikari's name, a nomination that was subsequently endorsed by the legislators through a unanimous consensus. Suvendu Adhikari is 55 years old. He hails from the East Medinipur district of West Bengal; his birthplace is the village of Karkuli within this district. In the recent West Bengal elections, the BJP secured victory in 207 out of the 293 contested seats. Suvendu Adhikari will be the BJP's first Chief Minister in Bengal.

What do we know about Suvendu Adhikari?

Suvendu Adhikari was born on December 15, 1970. His father, Sisir Adhikari, is a former Union Minister. Suvendu Adhikari inherited his political career as a legacy. His political journey has spanned the entire spectrum, from the Panchayat level all the way to Parliament. He was first elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) in 2005. Subsequently, he was elected as a Member of the Lok Sabha (Parliament) from the Tamluk constituency in 2009 and again in 2014. His pivotal role in the anti-land acquisition movement in Nandigram earned him the title of "King of Medinipur" within Bengal's political landscape. In December 2020, he left the Trinamool Congress and joined the BJP. In the 2021 Assembly elections, he stunned everyone by defeating Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the Nandigram constituency. Following this victory, he served as the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly from May 2021 until 2026. He will now assume the top political office in West Bengal.

How Did Suvendu Adhikari Begin His Political Journey?

Suvendu Adhikari began his political career with the Congress party. In 1995, he was elected as a Councilor for the Contai Municipality representing the Congress. In this context, he has attained the office of Chief Minister after nearly three decades, spanning the period from 1995 to 2026. Suvendu Adhikari has two brothers. Dibyendu Adhikari has served as both a Member of Parliament and a Member of the Legislative Assembly from Tamluk. His other brother, Soumendu Adhikari, has served as the Chairman of the Kanthi Municipality. He is currently the Member of Parliament from Kanthi. Suvendu Adhikari is unmarried. Suvendu Adhikari's mother's name is Gayatri Adhikari. He has dedicated his life to social and political work. Suvendu Adhikari will take the oath of office as Chief Minister on Saturday (May 9) at 11:00 AM.