BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Friday met Governor RN Ravi at Raj Bhavan in Kolkata and formally staked claim to form the government in West Bengal after securing majority support in the state Assembly.
Adhikari, who has been named the Leader of the BJP Legislative Party following a meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, submitted a letter of support signed by MLAs to the Governor. The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for 11 am on Saturday at the Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata.
The move comes after the BJP emerged with a majority mandate in the recently concluded Assembly elections, marking a major political shift in West Bengal. Adhikari, who contested from both Nandigram and Bhabanipur and defeated outgoing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur by over 15,000 votes, is set to become the state’s new Chief Minister.
Earlier in the day, Amit Shah officially announced Adhikari’s name as the Chief Ministerial face during the BJP Legislative Party meeting in Kolkata. Shah also congratulated Adhikari and expressed confidence in the new government delivering on the party’s promise of “Sonar Bangla”.
Also read: Suvendu Adhikari named Bengal’s first BJP CM
Speaking after being named, Adhikari thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, stating that the new government would work “less in words and more in action” and remain committed to development and governance. He also emphasised that the BJP had received a “clear mandate from the people of Bengal”.
In his address, Adhikari said the new administration would focus on restoring law and order, boosting development, and ensuring what he called a “fear-free Bengal”. He also invoked Rabindranath Tagore’s vision of a society free from fear and injustice
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Union Home Minister Amit Shah, while addressing party MLAs, said the BJP’s victory reflected the people’s rejection of the previous regime and thanked voters for what he termed a “historic mandate”. He also asserted that the new government would strengthen national security and development in the state.
Preparations for the oath-taking ceremony are underway at the Brigade Parade Ground, also known as Maidan in Kolkata, with several top BJP leaders, industrialists, and public figures expected to attend. The party is also reportedly considering a cabinet structure that may include two Deputy Chief Ministers, with a woman leader likely to be given a key role.
With the Governor accepting the claim, West Bengal is set to witness a historic political transition with the BJP forming its first government in the state.
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