Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari expanded the West Bengal cabinet on Monday, June 1, 2024, as 35 ministers took their oath of office [1].
This expansion marks the formation of a full Council of Ministers following Adhikari's ascension to the office of Chief Minister. The move is intended to establish a complete administrative team to govern the state [3].
The ceremony took place at Lok Bhawan in Kolkata [1, 2]. Governor R N Ravi administered the oath to the 35 members of the Legislative Assembly [1]. This induction brings the total strength of the Council of Ministers to 41 members [1].
The process of selecting these ministers follows the initial phase of government formation. By filling these roles, the administration seeks to distribute departmental responsibilities across a broader base of legislators [3].
Lok Bhawan served as the venue for the proceedings, where the new ministers were formally sworn into their roles under the supervision of the Governor [1, 2].
“35 ministers took their oath of office”
The expansion of the cabinet to 41 members signifies the transition from a skeletal transition government to a full-scale administrative body. By appointing a large number of MLAs to ministerial positions, the Chief Minister is likely attempting to balance regional interests and internal party dynamics while ensuring all government portfolios are staffed for the current term.
