Suvendu Adhikari has officially taken oath as the first BJP Chief Minister of West Bengal, marking a historic political shift in the state after decades of Left and TMC dominance. Once considered one of Mamata Banerjee’s closest aides inside the Trinamool Congress, Suvendu Adhikari dramatically switched to the BJP in 2020 — a move that reshaped Bengal politics forever. From leading the Nandigram movement to defeating Mamata Banerjee in two high-voltage elections, Adhikari steadily emerged as the BJP’s biggest face in Bengal. Now, after the BJP’s massive 207-seat victory, he has completed one of the most dramatic political rises in recent Indian politics.  

A major political churn is unfolding in West Bengal as the Bharatiya Janata Party appears all set to form its first government in the state, marking what leaders are calling a “historic mandate shift.” Suvendu Adhikari has emerged as the central figure of this transition, taking charge as the leader of the BJP legislature party and signalling a sharp political reset in the state’s power dynamics. In his first address after the leadership announcement, Adhikari declared an end to what he termed the “politics of fear” and outlined a roadmap focused on governance, development and stronger coordination with the Centre. The BJP leadership has projected this moment as the beginning of a new governance model in West Bengal built on trust and people-first administration. WATCH