As West Bengal prepares for a historic political transition with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari set to take oath as Chief Minister,
the focus has shifted to whether outgoing CM Mamata Banerjee will attend the ceremony. West Bengal BJP President Samik Bhattacharya said Mamata Banerjee has been invited “as per protocol,” leaving the decision to her amid heightened political anticipation. Bhattacharya described Adhikari’s elevation as a defining moment for the party, calling it the fulfilment of “the dream of millions of BJP workers.” Invoking Syama Prasad Mukherjee, he said a government aligned with his vision was set to take shape in the state. Check West Bengal Swearing-In Live Updates Here On the question of Mamata Banerjee, Bhattacharya told ANI, "Mamata Banerjee has been invited as per protocol."
From once being a deputy to the Trinamool Congress supremo, Suvendu Adhikari defeated Mamata Banerjee in the prestigious Bhabanipur seat by a margin of 15,105 votes in the recent state elections. While Adhikari bagged 73,917 votes, Banerjee secured 58,812 votes. The result marks a virtual "action replay" of the 2021 Nandigram battle, where Adhikari had unseated Banerjee in a fiercely fought contest that redefined Bengal’s political narrative. After the poll results were announced, Mamata Banerjee refused to resign, alleging that the BJP had "looted" the election.
In the recently concluded state polls, the BJP romped home with 207 seats in the 294-member Assembly, reducing the TMC to just 80.
Suvendu Adhikari and his council of ministers are scheduled to be sworn in at a grand ceremony at the Brigade Parade Grounds on Saturday in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, top Union ministers and some 20 chief ministers of BJP-ruled states. Adhikari would take oath as the ninth chief minister of Bengal and the first in 55 years to helm the state's administration with origins in the districts.
While the final list was yet to be officially announced, leaders from north Bengal, Junglemahal, Matua-dominated belts and tribal regions are also expected to find representation in the ministry as the BJP looks to balance regional, caste and community equations in its maiden Bengal government.
