A new political chapter unfolded in West Bengal as Suvendu Adhikari was sworn in as Chief Minister on Saturday (May 9, 2026), marking a major shift in the state’s leadership. He was administered the oath of office by Governor R. N. Ravi at a grand ceremony held at Kolkata’s Brigade Parade Ground.
Along with him, five MLAs—Dilip Ghosh, Agnimitra Paul, Ashok Kirtania, Kshudiram Tudu, and Nisith Pramanik—also took oath as members of the new Council of Ministers. The event was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several senior leaders from the NDA, including Union ministers and chief ministers from other states.
Suvendu Adhikari, who won from both Nandigram and Bhabanipur in the recent Assembly elections, had defeated former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur by over 15,000 votes. The political transition comes shortly after a closely watched election outcome.
In the days following the results, reports of post-poll violence emerged from several parts of the state. A BJP leader’s personal assistant was also killed in a shooting incident in North 24 Parganas, adding to tensions during the transition period.
During the ceremony, the Council of Ministers was sworn in one by one, with Agnimitra Paul among the first to take oath after the Chief Minister. The event was held on the occasion of Rabindranath Tagore’s birth anniversary, adding symbolic significance to the occasion.
Before the ceremony began, Prime Minister Modi paid tribute to Tagore and also interacted with senior party figures present at the venue. The event concluded with the newly sworn-in Chief Minister and ministers greeting attendees as the formal transition of power was completed.
