Suvendu Adhikari to take oath as West Bengal CM today
What's the story
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari will take oath as the Chief Minister of West Bengal on Saturday. He is the first BJP leader to hold this position in the state. The swearing-in ceremony will be held in late morning or early afternoon at Brigade Parade Ground, a venue with deep political significance in West Bengal. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and other National Democratic Alliance (NDA) chief ministers are likely to attend the event.
Political transition
Adhikari's political journey
Adhikari was formerly a close aide of Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Mamata Banerjee. He started his political career in the Congress student wing, Chhatra Parishad, and later joined the TMC. In 2020, he switched to the BJP and became one of Banerjee's fiercest critics. The BJP won a historic victory in West Bengal's recent elections, winning 207 out of 294 seats in the state assembly.
Governance goals
Adhikari's acceptance speech
In his acceptance speech, Adhikari said, "Bhoi (fear) is out, and bharosa (trust) is in." He added that the people of Bengal had given the BJP a historic mandate and that the party would fulfil all promises made in its election manifesto. The new government will work on collective leadership and closely coordinate with the central government to meet public expectations.
Personal details
Adhikari's assets and family background
Adhikari has declared immovable assets worth ₹61.30 lakh, mostly in Purba Medinipur. He has agricultural land in Nandigram worth ₹9.05 lakh and bank deposits totaling ₹7.34 lakh across multiple banks. He is the son of former Union minister Sisir Adhikari and started his career in the Congress student wing during the Left rule in Bengal.
Ceremony details
Venue of the ceremony and expected attendees
The swearing-in ceremony will be held at Brigade Parade Ground, a place synonymous with political mobilization in West Bengal. Thousands of BJP workers from across the state are expected to attend this event. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh have arrived in Kolkata ahead of the swearing-in ceremony The Governor of West Bengal, RN Ravi, will administer the oath of office to Adhikari.