The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday formally elected senior leader Suvendu Adhikari as the leader of its legislative party, clearing the path for him to become the next Chief Minister of West Bengal after the BJP’s historic victory in the 2026 Assembly elections.
The announcement was made during a crucial meeting of the BJP’s newly elected MLAs in Kolkata. The meeting was attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Mohan Charan Majhi and BJP’s Bengal unit chief Samik Bhattacharya.
Adhikari is scheduled to take oath as Chief Minister on Saturday, May 9, at the iconic Brigade Parade Ground. The swearing-in ceremony is expected to witness a massive political gathering, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, several Union ministers and chief ministers from National Democratic Alliance (NDA)-ruled states expected to attend.
Suvendu Adhikari’s political journey has been one of the most dramatic transformations in Bengal politics. Once considered a close confidant of Mamata Banerjee and a key strategist of the All India Trinamool Congress, Adhikari switched allegiance to the BJP ahead of the 2021 Assembly elections.
His departure from the TMC marked a turning point in Bengal politics, as he quickly emerged as the BJP’s strongest face against Mamata Banerjee. The rivalry intensified in 2021 when Banerjee contested from Nandigram against Adhikari. In a fiercely fought battle, Adhikari narrowly defeated the TMC supremo, establishing himself as a formidable force in the state.
In the 2026 Assembly elections, the BJP fielded Adhikari from two constituencies — Nandigram and Bhabanipur, the latter being regarded as Mamata Banerjee’s political stronghold.
Adhikari once again emerged victorious against Banerjee, defeating her in Bhabanipur by a margin of more than 15,000 votes. According to figures released by the Election Commission of India, Adhikari secured 73,917 votes, while Banerjee received 58,812 votes.
The victory further strengthened Adhikari’s stature within the BJP and cemented his image as the leader who successfully challenged and defeated the TMC chief twice in high-profile contests.
Adhikari is a seasoned politician with extensive electoral experience. He first contested a West Bengal Assembly election in 2001 from Mugberia but lost by nearly 15,000 votes. His breakthrough came in 2006 when he won from Kanthi Dakshin.
Later, he shifted to Nandigram in 2016 and retained the seat in 2021. In 2026, he contested from both Nandigram and Bhabanipur and won both constituencies comfortably.
Apart from his Assembly career, Adhikari also served as a two-time Member of Parliament from Tamluk, winning the Lok Sabha elections in 2009 and 2014.
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