BJP leaderSuvendu Adhikarihas been namedWest Bengal's next Chief Minister. The announcement was made by Home Minister Amit Shah in party's legislative meeting on Friday. Suvendu had defeatedMamata Banerjeein her bation -Bhabanipur- by a margin of over 15,000 votes. The decision has come days after West Bengal assembly election 2026 results were declared on May 4, when the BJP stormed into power, ending 15-year-old rule of the Trinamool Congress (TMC). BJP stamped a historic victory in Bengal, bagging a whopping 207 seats in the 294-member assembly, while restricting TMC to just 80 seats.
Suvendu's name announcement also paves the way for him to become the BJP's first chief minister of the state. As per sources, his name was proposed by party leader Dilip Ghosh following which Bengal's legislative party observer Amit Shah, in the presence of newly elected BJP MLAs and senior party leaders, confirmed Suvendu's name.
The swearing-in ceremony of the new BJP government will be held at the Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata on May 9 (Saturday), which also marks the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore.
Ahead of the announcement, BJP Nisith Pramanik had backed party leader Adhikari as a key chief minister face in West Bengal, saying that there is "no other alternative" to him as of yet.
Speaking to ANI, Pramanik said the BJP's win reflects people's desire for change in West Bengal. He added that tackling "infiltration" and fully fencing the border will be a top priority to protect the state and the country.
He further stated that West Bengal needs a leader like Suvendu Adhikari, calling him the only strong option at present, while noting that the party will take the final decision on the Chief Minister.
"The person who has defeated Mamata Banerjee twice, who has sacrificed his life for his party and the country, Bengal needs such a Chief Minister. There's certainly no alternative to Suvendu Adhikari in Bengal yet. The party will decide, but this is how it should be. If there is a leader, he should be like this," he said.
Adhikari also met with newly-elected MLAs of the party and other BJP leaders today.
Adhikari contested from Nandigram and Bhabhanipur, beating outgoing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee from her stronghold in Bhabanipur by a margin of over 15,000 votes.
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