Suvendu Adhikari Elected BJP Legislature Party Leader In West Bengal
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari was on Friday elected leader of the BJP Legislative Party in West Bengal, paving the way for him to become the State’s first BJP Chief Minister.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced Adhikari’s name after chairing a meeting of BJP legislators and senior party leaders in Kolkata.
“I announce the name of Suvendu Adhikari as the elected leader of the West Bengal BJP Legislative Party,” Shah said while addressing the meeting as the party’s central observer.
Adhikari is scheduled to take oath as Chief Minister on Friday, coinciding with the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore.
The BJP secured a decisive victory in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, winning 207 seats in the 294-member Assembly. The Trinamool Congress (TMC), which had been in power for 15 years, won 80 seats.
Earlier, BJP leader Nisith Pramanik described Adhikari as the party’s strongest chief ministerial face in the State.
Speaking to reporters, Pramanik said the BJP’s victory reflected the people’s desire for political change in West Bengal. He added that issues related to infiltration and border security would remain key priorities for the new government.
“The person who defeated Mamata Banerjee twice and dedicated himself to the party and the country is best suited to lead Bengal. At present, there is no alternative to Suvendu Adhikari in the State,” he said.
Adhikari also held meetings with newly elected BJP MLAs and senior party leaders following his election as legislative party leader.
In the Assembly elections, Adhikari contested from Nandigram and Bhabanipur. He defeated outgoing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur by a margin of more than 15,000 votes.
