Suvendu Adhikari (BJP) took the oath of office as the chief minister of West Bengal on Saturday, May 9, 2026 [1].
The event marks a historic political shift in the region, as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) forms its first-ever state government in West Bengal [1]. This victory ends the 15-year tenure of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and its long-standing control over the state administration [2].
The ceremony took place at the Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata [1]. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah attended the event, which began at 11 a.m. local time [3]. Adhikari was sworn in alongside five cabinet ministers [4].
Adhikari's ascent to the chief minister's office follows a significant electoral performance. In the Bhabanipur constituency, he secured a victory over Mamata Banerjee by a margin of more than 15,000 votes [5].
The transition of power comes after the BJP secured a victory that displaced the previous government [2]. The ceremony was attended by several high-ranking officials, including Yogi Adityanath and Himanta Biswa Sarma [2].
The new administration now assumes control of the state's executive functions. The BJP has positioned this victory as a mandate for change after more than a decade of TMC governance [2].
“Suvendu Adhikari (BJP) took the oath of office as the chief minister of West Bengal”
The establishment of the first BJP government in West Bengal represents a major breach of the Trinamool Congress's stronghold in Eastern India. By ending a 15-year streak of TMC rule, the BJP has successfully expanded its administrative footprint into a state historically resistant to its platform, potentially altering the political landscape of the region for years to come.
