Atiya Mujeeb
Kolkata: BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari took oath as the Chief Minister of West Bengal on Saturday during a grand ceremony at Brigade Parade Ground. The swearing-in followed the BJP’s sweeping victory in the recent Assembly elections, where the party won 207 seats and formed the government in the state.
After the election results, Adhikari met Governor R N Ravi to stake claim to form the government, describing the mandate as historic and promising development-focused governance.
The swearing-in ceremony was attended by several senior NDA leaders, including Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary.
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan were also present on the occasion.
Adhikari, once a close associate of Mamata Banerjee, joined the BJP ahead of the 2021 Assembly polls and gained national attention after defeating Banerjee in the high-profile Nandigram seat. His elevation is being viewed as a major political milestone for the BJP in West Bengal.
