Suvendu Adhikari was sworn in as the new chief minister of West Bengal on Saturday, marking a major political shift in the eastern Indian state after the Bharatiya Janata Party secured a decisive victory in the 2026 assembly elections.
The swearing-in ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior BJP leaders, days after the party ended the 15-year rule of All India Trinamool Congress led by former chief minister Mamata Banerjee.
The BJP won 207 seats in the 294-member West Bengal Assembly during counting held on Monday, bringing the party to power in the state for the first time. The result is being seen as one of the BJP’s biggest electoral breakthroughs in eastern India.
Adhikari, once considered one of Banerjee’s closest political aides, rose to prominence during the anti-land acquisition protests in Nandigram in 2007, a movement that significantly weakened the then-ruling Left Front government and helped the TMC come to power in 2011.
Born in Purba Medinipur district in 1970, Adhikari comes from a politically influential family in coastal Bengal. His father, Sisir Adhikari, served as a veteran parliamentarian, while several members of the family held elected positions over the years.
Adhikari began his political career in the Congress before joining the TMC during its rise as the principal anti-Left political force in West Bengal. Over time, he developed a reputation as an influential grassroots organiser with strong networks across rural Bengal.
His political trajectory changed dramatically in 2020 when he left the TMC and joined the BJP ahead of the 2021 assembly elections. In one of the most closely watched contests that year, Adhikari defeated Banerjee in Nandigram, although the BJP failed to form the government.
The 2026 election, however, marked a larger political breakthrough for the BJP. Adhikari not only retained Nandigram but also defeated Banerjee in her long-time stronghold of Bhabanipur, consolidating his position as the BJP’s leading face in West Bengal politics.
The BJP’s victory represents a major reversal in a state where the party had once struggled to establish a significant electoral presence. Political observers have linked the BJP’s rise in Bengal to growing polarisation, organisational expansion and anti-incumbency against the TMC government.
Adhikari’s political career has also been accompanied by controversy. In 2016, he was among several senior TMC leaders linked to a sting operation in which politicians were allegedly seen accepting cash from a person posing as an investor. Adhikari denied wrongdoing and questioned the authenticity and context of the footage.
In recent years, opposition parties have repeatedly criticised Adhikari over remarks alleged to be inflammatory or communal in nature. In 2021, the Election Commission issued him a notice over comments made during the election campaign. Last year, remarks concerning Muslim legislators and demographic issues triggered protests from the TMC and led to disciplinary action in the state assembly.
The transition of power in West Bengal has also taken place amid reports of post-election violence. On Wednesday, a close aide and personal assistant to Adhikari was shot dead near his residence by unidentified attackers, according to police. BJP leaders described the incident as a targeted political attack, while investigations remain ongoing.
Adhikari now assumes office at a time when West Bengal faces multiple economic and governance challenges. The BJP had campaigned heavily on issues including unemployment, industrial investment and economic development, particularly targeting concerns over job creation for young people.
The new government will also have to navigate a politically polarised environment shaped by years of intense rivalry between the BJP and the TMC, often accompanied by allegations of political intimidation and election-related violence.
As chief minister, Adhikari will be under pressure to transition from an aggressive campaign strategist to an administrator responsible for governance, economic growth and maintaining law and order in one of India’s most politically sensitive states.
