Suvendu Adhikari Named West Bengal Chief Minister as BJP Forms Historic First Government

Kolkata, May 2026 : In a landmark political development, Amit Shah on Friday officially announced Suvendu Adhikari as the next Chief Minister of West Bengal, paving the way for the state’s first-ever government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) since Independence.

The decision was taken during a meeting chaired by Shah with newly elected BJP legislators following the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly elections, the results of which were declared on May 4. During the meeting, Adhikari’s name was unanimously endorsed as the leader of the BJP Legislature Party in the Assembly, formally confirming his elevation as Chief Minister-designate.

Addressing party legislators, Shah said the process of selecting the legislative party leader was conducted democratically and transparently. According to him, eight separate proposals were submitted during the meeting, and every proposal contained only Adhikari’s name.

“The process of selecting the leader of the party’s legislative party in the state assembly has been completed. A total of eight proposals were received. In all the proposals, there was just one name. Enough time was given for any proposal for a second name, but no other name was suggested. Therefore, I proposed the name of Suvendu Adhikari as the next Chief Minister of West Bengal,” Shah said.

The oath-taking ceremony of the new BJP government is scheduled to take place on Saturday morning. Adhikari is expected to meet Governor R. N. Ravi at Raj Bhavan later this evening to formally stake claim to form the government. The Governor will administer the oath of office to Adhikari and his council of ministers at 10 a.m. on Saturday.

Adhikari registered a significant political victory in the Assembly elections by winning from both the Nandigram constituency in East Midnapore district and the Bhabanipur constituency in South Kolkata. In Bhabanipur, he defeated former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee by a margin of over 15,000 votes.

Adhikari had first earned national attention during the 2021 Assembly elections when he defeated Banerjee in Nandigram, gaining the reputation of a “giant killer.” His latest victories have further strengthened his political stature within the BJP and established him as the party’s undisputed leader in West Bengal.

The BJP’s rise to power in West Bengal marks a major shift in the state’s political landscape, ending decades of dominance by regional parties and opening a new chapter in Bengal politics.