It is a big day for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in West Bengal as the outfit, which has been in power at the Centre since 2014, has finally installed its first chief minister in the state, a long-elusive goal.
BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari took oath as the new West Bengal CM after the BJP stormed to power with a landslide mandate, winning 207 of the 294 seats in the recent assembly elections. Adikari himself won two seats, taking Nandigram and defeating TMC supremo and his predecessor, Mamata Banerjee, in Bhabanipur.
West Bengal governor RN Ravi administered the oath of office to Adhikari and his council of ministers at the Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata on Saturday. The event was also attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, union home minister Amit Shah, defence minister Rajnath Singh, and several NDA bloc CMs, among others.
Here is the full list of BJP ministers who took the oath of office as the next government of West Bengal.
West Bengal: Full list of ministers
{{/usCountry}}Here is the full list of BJP ministers who took the oath of office as the next government of West Bengal.
West Bengal: Full list of ministers
{{/usCountry}}Suvendu Adhikari- Chief Minister
Dilip Ghosh- Minister
Agnimitra Paul- Minister
Ashok Kirtania- Minister
Kshudiram Tudu- Minister
Nisith Pramanik- Minister
First BJP government in West Bengal
It is the first time that a BJP government has come to power in Kolkata after almost 50 years of Left and TMC rule. But it hasn't been without controversy: outgoing CM Mamata Banerjee, who ruled the state for 15 years, refused to resign despite defeat, alleging rigging and other irregularities.
“No question of me resigning; we were defeated not by public mandate but by conspiracy,” she said on Tuesday, also accusing the Election Commission and central forces of acting in favour of the BJP.
She alleged that TMC workers were prevented from entering counting centres and faced violence during the election process. The EC rejected these claims, maintaining that counting was conducted under established procedures and strict monitoring. The BJP, which secured a clear majority, also dismissed the claims.
The West Bengal assembly was dissolved on May 7, paving the way for the new government to take oath in the state.