Brigade Ground Ready for History

Saffron Surge in Bengal:  Suvendu Adikari first BJP CM

Suvendu Adhikari with Amit Shah (TOI Image)

Sneha Barua

8 May 2026: Suvendu Adhikari was formally named the Chief Minister of West Bengal on Friday, days after BJP’s resounding victory in the recent legislative assembly elections.

​Dilip Ghosh, the senior leader of the BJP and the former state president, had proposed the name of Suvendu at the legislature party meeting held in Kolkata. Union Home minister Amit Shah, who was appointed as the central adviser of the meeting, and Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, the co-observer, both accepted Suvendu as the CM.

​“I announce the name of Suvendu Adhikari elected as leader of West Bengal BJP legislative party”, Home Minister Amit Shah announced at the legislature party meeting on Friday, as reported by NDTV.

​This marks the end of the Trinamool Congress, which ruled West Bengal for 15 years. After the results that provided the BJP a grand victory, Mamta Banerjee’s power (ex-CM) will be delivered to Suvendu Adhikari.

​Shah further added that the atmosphere created by TMC for the past 15 years, where casting a vote in the democracy was impossible, “I am very thankful for the huge victory that the people of Bengal have achieved by trusting the BJP. This is Shyama Prasad Mukherjee’s government as reported by The Times of India on Friday.

​In 2020, Adhikari left TMC and joined TMC. He defeated Banerjee in Nandigram in 2021. He recently won the Bhawanipore seat, where she had a stronghold. The voting margin was 15,000 against TMC.

​The new BJP government in Bengal will take oath in Kolkata’s Brigade Parade Ground on 9 May in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president Nitin Nabin, and other union ministers, along with chief ministers of BJP-ruled states.