Page 5 - West Bengal

Three arrested from UP in connection with killing of Suvendu's aide

Three persons were arrested from Uttar Pradesh in connection with the killing of Chandranath Rath, an aide of West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, police said on Monday. The accused were apprehended by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted to probe the murder that occurred in North 24 Parganas district's Madhyamgram on the night of May 6. Investigators traced digital clues and interstate links in the case, the senior police officer said. The arrested men were identified as Vishal Srivastava, a resident of Pandiyapatti in Bihar's Buxar district, while the two others are from Uttar Pradesh, he said, adding that the investigators suspect that one of them is a sharpshooter. "This is a breakthrough. The investigation indicated that the assailants were from outside West Bengal. Based on technical surveillance, digital tracking and other inputs, members of the SIT were sent to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar," the officer told PTI. At least eight people were involved in the ..

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Fault lines exposed: TMC stares at existential churn after Bengal rout

On a humid Saturday evening, barely hours after Suvendu Adhikari took oath as West Bengal's first BJP chief minister at the Brigade Parade Grounds, the mood at several TMC offices across the state was marked by disbelief and unease. At a party office in south Bengal, workers sat silently before television screens replaying saffron celebrations. Tea cups remained untouched and conversations repeatedly returned to one question: what remains of the political machine Mamata Banerjee built over the past 28 years -- the first 13 years in opposition and the last 15 years in power? For the TMC, the crisis unfolding now is no longer merely electoral. It is structural, psychological and existential. The first signs of internal strain surfaced almost immediately after the verdict. Leaders who defended the party leadership until days ago have begun speaking in divergent voices, exposing fault lines long buried beneath uninterrupted electoral dominance. Veteran TMC leader Asit Mazumdar accused

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.

Subrata Gupta, EC's special observer for SIR, appointed Bengal CM's advisor

Subrata Gupta, EC's special observer for SIR, appointed West Bengal CM's advisor

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 ...

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

Haryana to Bengal: BJP secures first-time CMs in nine states under Modi

With the BJP's resounding victory in West Bengal, ending the 15-year rule of the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government, the party has secured the chief minister's post for the first time in nine states since Narendra Modi became prime minister in 2014. The journey began with Haryana and Maharashtra in 2014, followed by Assam (2016), Arunachal Pradesh (2016), Manipur (2017), Tripura (2018), Odisha (2024), Bihar (2026), and now West Bengal. In Haryana, the party formed a government on its own for the first time and appointed Manohar Lal Khattar as chief minister. In Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis became the state's first BJP chief minister after the BJP emerged as the single-largest party in the assembly polls and formed the government with allies in the Mahayuti alliance. The BJP expanded its footprint in the Northeast in 2016 by winning Assam, where Sarbananda Sonowal became the party's first chief minister in the state. Since then, the BJP has retained power in Assam

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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West Bengal verdict a mandate for national security, says Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah hailed the BJP's victory in West Bengal as a mandate for national security as Suvendu Adhikari was elected the state's first BJP chief minister