Suvendu Adhikari (BJP) was sworn in as the chief minister of West Bengal on Saturday, May 9, 2026 [1].
The event marks a historic shift in the state's political landscape, as Adhikari becomes the first member of the Bharatiya Janata Party to hold the office of chief minister since India's independence [2].
Governor R.N. Ravi administered the oath of office during a ceremony scheduled for 11 a.m. local time [1, 4]. The event was held at the Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata [3, 5]. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah attended the proceedings to support the new administration.
Adhikari's ascent to the premiership follows the BJP's victory in the 2026 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election [6]. The party's success allowed it to form its first state government in West Bengal, ending years of opposition to the previous administration.
Other party members, including Dilip Ghosh and Agnimitra Paul, were also sworn in as ministers [7]. The transition of power comes after the resignation of the previous government led by the Trinamool Congress and Mamata Banerjee [2].
The ceremony at the Brigade Parade Ground served as a public demonstration of the party's new mandate in the region. National leadership presence underscored the strategic importance of the state to the BJP's broader political goals.
“Suvendu Adhikari becomes the first member of the Bharatiya Janata Party to hold the office of chief minister since India's independence.”
The appointment of Suvendu Adhikari represents a fundamental realignment of power in West Bengal. By securing the chief ministership for the first time since independence, the BJP has dismantled a long-standing political stronghold of the Trinamool Congress, potentially altering the balance of power in eastern India and strengthening the party's administrative footprint in a previously resistant state.
