Kolkata Correspondent | dbarta24.com – In a historic political shift, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari has been sworn in as the Chief Minister of West Bengal.
This marks the first time the BJP has formed a government in the state. The oath-taking ceremony for the Chief Minister and his cabinet was held on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Kolkata’s iconic Brigade Parade Ground.
The ceremony commenced at 11:00 AM local time. Governor R.N. Ravi administered the oath of office to Suvendu Adhikari shortly after 12:00 PM.
Following the oath, Prime Minister Narendra Modi warmly congratulated the new Chief Minister, patting him on the back in a gesture of appreciation.
A Grand Ceremony at Brigade
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at the venue in an open-top vehicle, accompanied by Suvendu Adhikari and BJP State President Samik Bhattacharya, waving to the massive crowds.
As the ceremony coincided with Rabindra Jayanti, the Prime Minister paid floral tributes to Rabindranath Tagore before the national anthem was played.
The event was attended by a galaxy of top political leaders, including:
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Union Leaders: Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP National President Nitin Navin, Rajnath Singh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and J.P. Nadda.
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Chief Ministers: Yogi Adityanath (UP), Chandrababu Naidu (Andhra Pradesh), Devendra Fadnavis (Maharashtra), Himanta Biswa Sarma (Assam), and Manik Saha (Tripura), among others.
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Notable Personalities: Former Union Minister Smriti Irani, MLA Agnimitra Paul, and actor Mithun Chakraborty.
The Transition of Power
Suvendu Adhikari, once a close aide to Mamata Banerjee, succeeds her as Chief Minister following the Trinamool Congress’s defeat in the assembly elections.
On Friday evening, Adhikari met Governor R.N. Ravi at Raj Bhavan to stake his claim to form the government, submitting a letter of support signed by 207 newly elected BJP MLAs.
His selection as the leader of the legislative party was formally announced by Amit Shah following a meeting at the New Town Convention Centre on Friday.