Suvendu Adhikari was officially named the Chief Minister of West Bengal on Friday following the Bharatiya Janata Party’s massive victory in the recently concluded assembly elections. The announcement came during the BJP legislature party meeting held in Kolkata, where senior party leader Dilip Ghosh proposed Adhikari’s name for the top post.

The meeting was attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who was appointed as the central observer, and Mohan Charan Majhi, the Chief Minister of Odisha and co-observer for the meeting. Addressing party leaders, Shah confirmed the decision and said, “I announce the name of Suvendu Adhikari elected as Leader of West Bengal BJP Legislative Party.”

The development marks a major political shift in the state as it brings an end to the 15-year rule of the All India Trinamool Congress. The BJP’s victory in last month’s elections also ended the long political dominance of Mamata Banerjee and delivered one of the biggest setbacks of her political career.

Speaking at the legislature party meeting, Shah said, “The atmosphere that had been created since the Communist era was deepened by Mamata Banerjee, and it was almost impossible to cast your vote there... I am very thankful for the huge victory that the people of Bengal have given us by trusting BJP and our leader, Narendra Modi.”

Adhikari emerged as the clear choice for the chief minister’s post after becoming one of the BJP’s strongest leaders in the state over the last few years. He joined the BJP in December 2020 after leaving the Trinamool Congress, where he was once considered a close associate of Banerjee. His switch to the BJP had created a major political impact in Bengal politics at the time.

His political rise within the BJP became stronger after he defeated Mamata Banerjee in the high-profile Nandigram contest in 2021. More recently, he secured another major win by defeating the Trinamool Congress candidate in Bhabanipur, which is considered Banerjee’s traditional stronghold. He won the seat by a margin of more than 15,000 votes.

The BJP is also considering appointing two deputy chief ministers in the new government. The state has not had a deputy chief minister in nearly two decades. The last leader to hold the post was former CPM leader Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, who served under former chief minister Jyoti Basu.

According to party sources, one of the deputy chief minister posts is likely to go to a woman leader. The frontrunners for these positions include Agnimitra Paul, who won from Asansol Dakshin, and Shankar Ghosh, the winning candidate from Siliguri. Shah reportedly held separate meetings with both leaders in Kolkata to discuss the possible arrangements.

The swearing-in ceremony of the new government is scheduled to take place tomorrow at the historic Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, BJP national president Nitin Nabin, and chief ministers from BJP-ruled states are expected to attend the event.

Meanwhile, Governor RN Ravi dissolved the state assembly on Thursday, officially clearing the legal process for the formation of the new government.

Adhikari began his political career in the Trinamool Congress and played an important role in strengthening the party’s organisation in rural Bengal. Over the years, he built a strong support base and became one of the influential leaders in the state. However, growing differences with Mamata Banerjee eventually led to his exit from the party.

After joining the BJP, Adhikari became one of the party’s most visible faces in West Bengal. He led aggressive campaigns against the Trinamool Congress government and played a key role in expanding the BJP’s political reach across the state. Senior BJP leaders believe his organisational skills and direct electoral victories against Banerjee made him the strongest contender for the chief minister’s post.

Other names, including Samik Bhattacharya and Swapan Dasgupta, who won from Rashbehari, were also discussed within party circles. However, the BJP leadership ultimately decided in favour of Adhikari.

The BJP’s victory marks the end of more than a decade and a half of Trinamool Congress dominance in West Bengal. The party had emerged as a strong challenger in the 2021 elections but failed to secure power at the time. This election, however, gave the BJP a clear majority and opened the path for its first full government in the state.