West Bengal Assembly Polls

Bengal CM Adhikari to retain Bhabanipur, give up Nandigram Assembly seat

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced on Wednesday that he will retain the Bhabanipur Assembly segment and give up Nandigram. He won both the Bhabanipur and Nandigram seats in the recently-concluded assembly polls and took oath in the state Assembly as an MLA from Bhabanipur on Wednesday. "Someone else will be elected as MLA from Nandigram (in a bypoll). But I will not let the people there feel my absence. "I will fulfil all development promises I made to the people of Nandigram alongside the rest of the state," Adhikari told reporters at the Assembly premises. Referring to the 2009-2016 tenure of Phiroja Bibi as a TMC MLA from Nandigram when Adhikari was a frontline leader of Mamata Banerjee's party, he said, "I had provided all support to Phiroja Bibi, the mother of a martyr in the 2008 Nandigram police firing, although I wasn't officially the MLA from that seat. I will play a similar role this time as well." Adhikari defeated TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee in her .

TMC names Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay as LoP in West Bengal assembly

The TMC on Saturday appointed Ballygunge MLA Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay as the leader of opposition in the West Bengal assembly. In a statement, the party announced that Dhanekhali MLA Asima Patra and Chowrangee legislator Nayna Bandyopadhyay would serve as deputy leaders of the opposition. Kolkata Port MLA Firhad Hakim was appointed chief whip in the assembly. Hakim is also the mayor of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. The party said the newly appointed leaders would work "with commitment for the interest of the people of Bengal". BJP swept the assembly elections, winning 207 seats in the 294-member House and forming the government in the state for the first time. The TMC won 80 seats in the elections. Suvendu Adhikari was sworn in as chief minister earlier in the day.

Mamata urges opposition parties to form 'joint platform' against BJP

Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Saturday appealed to all opposition parties in West Bengal to come together to form a "joint platform" to fight the BJP which came to power in the state after the recently held assembly elections. The former chief minister also called upon the student unions of various affiliations opposed to the BJP and the NGOs to unite against the saffron camp. "I call upon all opposition parties, including the Leftists and the ultra-Left, to come together to form a joint platform against the BJP," Banerjee said, also calling upon national parties to join. The TMC chief said that she will talk with any political party if they want to hold a dialogue with her in this regard. "It is not the time to think the enemy's enemy is my friend, our first enemy is the BJP," she said, while addressing a small gathering in front of her Kalighat residence on Rabindranath Tagore's birth anniversary. She claimed that atrocities were being committed against TMC worke

Industry leaders congratulate Suvendu Adhikari on taking oath as Bengal CM

Industry leaders on Saturday congratulated Suvendu Adhikari on being sworn in as West Bengal chief minister, with many expressing hope for a new chapter of growth in the state. RPG Group chairman Sanjiv Goenka, who called it "a historic moment for West Bengal", said the state has "great expectations" from Adhikari. Goenka, who described himself as emotionally connected to West Bengal, said he looked forward to contributing to the state "in every way I can." ITC chairman and managing director Sanjiv Puri also congratulated Adhikari and extended greetings to the newly formed council of ministers. Puri expressed confidence that the state would witness a "new dawn of growth and prosperity" under the new leadership and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a 'Viksit Bharat' would serve as a guiding inspiration for the state's progress. "As an Indian conglomerate headquartered in Kolkata for over a century, ITC remains committed to partnering the state in its journey of ...

Abhishek questions Bengal's poll process credibility, accuses EC of bias

Questioning the credibility of the electoral process in the West Bengal assembly polls, senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday accused the Election Commission of acting in a "partisan" manner and alleged large-scale irregularities during the elections won by the BJP. In his first social media post after the declaration of results, Banerjee said the TMC would continue to be a "strong, vocal and uncompromising opposition" both in West Bengal and at the Centre. "Throughout this entire process, we witnessed what we believe was deeply partisan conduct by several government agencies as well as the Election Commission of India," Banerjee said in a post on X. "Democratic institutions that are meant to function impartially appeared compromised, raising serious concerns about the fairness, credibility and transparency of the electoral process in West Bengal," the Diamond Harbour MP wrote. Stating that the TMC fought an extremely difficult election where "nearly 30 lakh genuine voter

Suvendu's cabinet line-up reflects Bengal's geographical, ethnic diversity

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and five ministers were sworn in at the Brigade Parade Grounds here on Saturday as West Bengal got its first BJP government, with representatives from the northern and southern regions of the state being inducted into the cabinet, but none from Kolkata. Reflecting West Bengal's diverse ethnic fabric, the cabinet represented communities, including the Matuas and the Santhals. Here's a brief look at the background of the five members of Adhikari's council of ministers who were sworn in: Dilip Ghosh: If the 2026 state elections put giant-killer Suvendu Adhikari at its centrestage, following his historic win over Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur, the polls also scripted a remarkable comeback for Ghosh, the former president of the BJP's West Bengal unit, cementing his role in a more measured second innings in state politics. Easily one of the party's most recognisable and combative faces in Bengal, Ghosh played a pivotal role in transforming the saffron part

Suvendu Adhikari visits Tagore's home before starting work as Bengal CM

Newly sworn-in West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday drove straight to Jorasanko Thakurbari, the ancestral home of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, soon after the oath-taking ceremony and paid floral tributes to the poet before formally beginning his official duties. Dressed in a dhoti and saffron panjabi, Adhikari said he wanted to seek the blessings of Kaviguru before starting work as chief minister. "My official work begins after paying tribute to Kaviguru," he said. Invoking Swami Vivekananda, Adhikari cited the words of the monk "Charaiveti, Charaiveti" (keep going)", as he called upon people to work towards building a new Bengal. He wished for a new dawn for Bengal. "Let us rebuild Bengal," he said, adding that this was not the time for blame or criticism. Adhikari also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had wished for this day and described it as an important occasion for the state.

Suvendu deeply connected to people: Modi wishes Bengal CM 'fruitful tenure'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday congratulated Suvendu Adhikari on taking oath as West Bengal's first BJP chief minister, saying that he was deeply connected to the people and understood their aspirations. Adhikari took the oath at the iconic Brigade Parade Grounds in the presence of Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the BJP's central leadership and chief ministers of NDA-ruled states. In his message for Adhikari, Modi wished the first BJP chief minister of the state a "fruitful tenure". "Congratulations to Suvendu Adhikari Ji on taking oath as West Bengal's chief minister. He has made a mark as a leader who remained deeply connected to the people and understood their aspirations from close quarters," Modi wrote on X after attending the event. "My best wishes to him for a fruitful tenure ahead," he wrote and posted with the message an image of Goddess Durga and another of him congratulating Adhikari on the stage.

BJP ideology gains Bengal recognition; govt change to spur growth: Gadkari

Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Saturday said the BJP's "spectacular" victory in West Bengal shows that the party's ideology has now gained recognition among people there, and the power change brought by them will pave the way for development of the eastern state. The Minister of Road Transport and Highways was talking to PTI Videos here before heading to Kolkata to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Suvendu Adhikari as West Bengal Chief Minister. The BJP secured 207 seats in the 294-member West Bengal assembly in the recently-concluded elections, ending the Trinamool Congress (TMC)'s 15-year rule and scripting its most significant breakthrough in eastern India. Adhikari, who defeated TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee in the Bhabanipur assembly seat, on Saturday took oath as the first BJP chief minister of West Bengal, marking a watershed moment that redrew the state's political landscape after decades of resistance to saffron politics. Before the TMC came to power in 2011, the Left Fron

Suvendu Adhikari takes oath as West Bengal CM, leads state's first BJP govt

BJP legislature party leader Suvendu Adhikari took oath as the chief minister of West Bengal on Saturday, heading the first BJP government in the state. Governor RN Ravi administered the oath of office and secrecy to Adhikari at a grand ceremony held at the Brigade Parade Grounds here in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union ministers, chief ministers of NDA-ruled states and senior BJP leaders. The BJP secured 207 seats in the 294-member Assembly, ending the Trinamool Congress' 15-year rule in the state.

Jhalmuri becomes flavour of victory at Bengal BJP's maiden oath ceremony

Jhalmuri, the quintessential Bengali street snack that became an unlikely symbol in the bitter TMC-BJP fight for over a month, found pride of place at the swearing-in of West Bengal's first BJP government at the Brigade Parade Ground on Saturday. The state BJP set up 20 jhalmuri stalls across the sprawling venue in central Kolkata, while several independent vendors were also seen doing brisk business along the periphery. Scores of people attending the ceremony made a beeline for the stalls to savour the snack made of puffed rice, green chillies, and an assortment of spices. "I am loving jhalmuri more today because of our heady victory in the election," said Manjari Basu, who came from Tollygunge, in Kolkata's southern quarters, to witness the swearing-in ceremony. Manish Yadav from Barrackpore in North 24 Parganas, holding a paper packet of jhalmuri in hand, said the snack tasted sweet instead of spicy because of the BJP's momentous victory. The humble snack hogged national limeli

Sonar Bangla era begins: Adhikari as WB's first BJP govt set to take charge

West Bengal's chief minister-elect Suvendu Adhikari said the days of 'Sonar Bangla' have officially started with Saturday marking the beginning of a new era of "peace and prosperity" under a "double-engine" administration as the state's first BJP government is set to take charge. Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's arrival in Kolkata for the oath-taking ceremony at the Brigade Parade Ground, Adhikari posted a message on X welcoming him to the state and describing the occasion as the fulfilment of the "dreams of our founding fathers". "A historic dawn for West Bengal indeed. It is a moment of profound pride and jubilation to welcome visionary Leader PM Narendra Modi Ji to the City of Joy. Today, as we witness the swearing-in ceremony of the first-ever BJP government in West Bengal since Independence, we fulfil the dreams of our founding fathers. "Today marks the end of decades of misrule and the beginning of a double-engine era of development, peace, and prosperity. The era of ..

Security tightened ahead of Suvendu Adhikari's swearing-in as Bengal CM

Security was tightened across key locations in Kolkata on Saturday ahead of the swearing-in ceremony of the first BJP government in West Bengal, including at the residence of chief minister-designate Suvendu Adhikari, Brigade Parade Grounds and outside former CM Mamata Banerjee's Kalighat residence. Heavy security deployment was seen outside Adhikari's Chinar Park residence here. Security arrangements were also intensified at the RCTC Ground, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to land before attending the ceremony. A multi-layered security apparatus, including central forces and Kolkata Police personnel, was put in place at Brigade Parade Grounds, the venue of the swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected BJP government. CRPF personnel were deployed outside Banerjee's Kalighat residence amid heightened political activity in the city. The BJP registered a historic win in the polls, ending Trinamool Congress' 15-year rule in the state. Meanwhile, BJP supporters from nor

BJP govt to fulfil people's aspirations, Syama Prasad's dream: Dilip Ghosh

Senior BJP leader Dilip Ghosh on Saturday said the first BJP government in West Bengal will fulfil the people's aspirations and the dream of Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee. Ahead of the swearing-in ceremony of the BJP government in the state, the Kharagpur Sadar MLA said the party had long struggled to bring about political change in the eastern province. "We struggled for a long time. The results have now come, and a regime change has taken place. We will have to work for the fulfilment of the wishes of the people and the dream of Syama Prasad Mookerjee," Ghosh said. He said the new government would pay tribute to BJP workers who lost their lives during the party's fight against the "TMC's misrule" in the state. West Bengal chief minister-elect 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

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WB CEO meets Governor to hand over gazette notification of Assembly polls

West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Kumar Agarwal on Wednesday met Governor RN Ravi at Lok Bhavan to complete the statutory formalities of handing over the gazette notification containing the names of elected members of the new Assembly following the recently concluded state polls. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Agarwal said the Election Commission's role in the Assembly elections is over except for the completion of the pending poll process in Falta constituency. "I had come to complete the statutory work to submit the gazetted notification, which is done after any election. The list of elected MLAs has been handed over," the CEO said. "Now, constituting the Assembly is the work of Lok Bhavan. The EC role has ended except for completing the Falta poll," he added. The handing over of the gazette notification is a mandatory constitutional norm after the declaration of results, paving the way for the Governor to initiate the process for the constitution of the n