KOLKATA, India — Suvendu Adhikari, a prominent leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), officially took office as the Chief Minister of West Bengal on Saturday. The grand swearing-in ceremony unfolded at the iconic Brigade Parade Ground in the heart of Kolkata, marking a significant political transition in the state.
Bengal's Governor RN Ravi administered the oath of secrecy and administration to Mr. Adhikari, formalizing his assumption of the state's top executive role. The event drew a large contingent of national political figures and state leaders, underscoring its importance.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were among the high-profile attendees, lending their presence to the historic occasion. BJP national president Nitin Nabin also graced the ceremony. Additionally, approximately 20 chief ministers from National Democratic Alliance (NDA)-ruled states were present, showcasing broad political support.
Notable chief ministers included Yogi Adityanath (Uttar Pradesh), Devendra Fadnavis (Maharashtra), Himanta Biswa Sarma (Assam), N Chandrababu Naidu (Andhra Pradesh), and Pushkar Singh Dhami (Uttarakhand). Several deputy chief ministers, such as Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brijesh Pathak (Uttar Pradesh), and Diya Kumari (Rajasthan), were also sighted at the event.
Further bolstering the gathering were Union ministers like Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, J P Nadda, Chirag Paswan, and Smriti Irani, who played a crucial role in the BJP's electoral success in Bengal. Thousands of enthusiastic party workers from across the state filled the parade ground, creating a vibrant atmosphere.
Mr. Adhikari's elevation to Chief Minister comes after the BJP's historic victory in the recent state elections, securing 207 out of 293 contested seats. This outcome ended the Trinamool Congress's 15-year reign, reducing them to just 80 seats. Adhikari himself had solidified his claim to the top office by defeating Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur by over 15,000 votes, fulfilling the BJP's promise of a 'son of the soil' as Chief Minister.
Security measures were significantly heightened across Kolkata for the event. A multi-layered security apparatus, comprising central forces and Kolkata Police personnel, was deployed at the Brigade Parade Grounds. CRPF personnel were also stationed outside former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s Kalighat residence amidst the heightened political activity.
Before the ceremony, Prime Minister Modi paid floral tributes to Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore on his birth anniversary. He also met and honored Makhanlal Sarkar, one of Bengal’s seniormost party workers, who was arrested in 1952 while accompanying Syama Prasad Mukherjee during a movement to hoist the Indian tricolour in Kashmir.