Suvendu Adhikari Sworn In As Chief Minister

A historic chapter was added to the politics of West Bengal as, for the first time, a BJP government assumed power, and Suvendu Adhikari took the oath as the state’s Chief Minister. During a grand ceremony held in Kolkata, West Bengal Governor R.N. Ravi administered the oath of office and secrecy to Suvendu Adhikari and five other ministers alongside him.

The leaders who took the oath as ministers alongside Suvendu Adhikari include Dilip Ghosh, Agnimitra Paul, Ashok Kirtania, Khudiram Tudu, and Nisith Pramanik. With this historic victory for the BJP, a government led by a right-wing party has been formed in the state for the very first time. On May 8, the BJP legislative party unanimously elected Suvendu Adhikari as its leader, thereby sealing his elevation to the post of Chief Minister. The BJP captured state power by securing a resounding victory in the assembly elections.

Suvendu Adhikari’s political journey spans over three decades. He began his political career in 1995 as a Councilor for the Kanthi Municipality. Subsequently, he served as a Councilor for three terms and also became the Chairman of the Kanthi Municipality. He possesses over 20 years of legislative experience; he has served as a Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) twice, as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) three times, and as the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly for five years.

During his tenure in the state government, he held key portfolios such as Transport and Irrigation. Additionally, he served as the Chairman of the Hooghly River Bridge Commissioners. As the Chairman of the Haldia Development Authority, he played a pivotal role in the development of the industrial city of Haldia. He has also made significant contributions to the cooperative movement, having served as the Chairman of the Agriculture Rural Bank, the Kanthi Urban Cooperative Bank, and the Vidyasagar Central Cooperative Bank.

Suvendu Adhikari’s family, too, has deep roots in the freedom struggle. Bipin Adhikari and Kenaram Adhikari members of the prominent Adhikari family of Kanthi were close associates of several freedom fighters from Bengal. Bipin Adhikari was imprisoned by the British, and during the British Raj, the Adhikari family home was set ablaze on two separate occasions.

Born on December 15, 1970, in Karkuli village of the Purba Medinipur district in West Bengal, Suvendu Adhikari completed his M.A. studies at Rabindra Bharati University. He is the son of former Union Minister of State Sisir Adhikari and is currently unmarried.

Suvendu Adhikari was one of the prominent faces of the 2007 Nandigram movement, which played a pivotal role in bringing an end to the 34-year-old Left Front regime. He was a long-standing member of the Trinamool Congress and served as a minister in the Mamata Banerjee government until 2020. In December 2020, he joined the BJP in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He is also referred to as a “Giant Killer,” having achieved major political victories by defeating Mamata Banerjee first in the Nandigram constituency in 2021, and subsequently in the Bhabanipur constituency in 2026.