Suvendu Adhikari Takes Oath as Chief Minister of West Bengal
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hugs newly elected West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari at the Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata. Photo Courtesy: NDTV
Suvendu Adhikari has taken oath as the Chief Minister of West Bengal. The oath-taking ceremony was held this midday (Saturday) at Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, senior BJP leaders, and chief ministers of BJP-ruled states were present at the function.
Five members have been named in Suvendu Adhikari’s cabinet. They are Dilip Ghosh, Agnimitra Paul, Ashok Kirtania, Nishith Pramanik, and Khudiram Tudu.
After Suvendu Adhikari, Dilip Ghosh took oath, followed by Agnimitra Paul, Ashok Kirtania, Khudiram Tudu, and Nishith Pramanik.
Suvendu Adhikari defeated former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and won from both Bhabanipur and Nandigram. Dilip Ghosh won from Kharagpur Sadar, while Agnimitra Paul was elected from Asansol South.
Ashok Kirtania won from Bongaon North, Khudiram Tudu from Ranibandh, and Nishith Pramanik from Mathabhanga in Cooch Behar. These five leaders are part of Suvendu Adhikari’s cabinet. However, the allocation of portfolios has not yet been announced.
The results of the state legislative assembly elections were announced on May 4. The BJP came to power by winning 207 seats. After the BJP’s victory, there was repeated speculation about who would become the Chief Minister. On various occasions, the Prime Minister, the Home Minister, and the party’s top leadership stated that a Bengali leader educated in the Bengali medium would be chosen as Chief Minister.
There was widespread discussion and speculation in political circles that Suvendu Adhikari would be leading the race to become Chief Minister if the BJP came to power. When a saffron wave swept the state, these speculations grew stronger. Finally, on Friday, Suvendu Adhikari was selected as the leader of the legislative party, turning those speculations into reality.
Following proposals from all party members, Union Home Minister Shah announced him as Chief Minister.
After the meeting of BJP legislators, Shah said, “The process of selecting the leader of the victorious legislative party has been completed. Eight proposals were submitted, and all of them contained only one name. Adequate time was given for a second name, but no second name came forward. Therefore, I am announcing Suvendu Adhikari as the Chief Minister of West Bengal.”
