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WEST BENGAL CM: For 15 years, Bengal’s political status in West Bengal was synonymous with one name: Mamata Banerjee. This era came to an end with the state’s legislative assembly being disbanded, making way for the Bharatiya Janata Party to take office for the first time in Bengal’s history. In the 2026 elections for the assembly, the saffron party took more than 207 seats within the 294-member House, which ended three consecutive terms that were under Trinamool Congress rule.
THE MAN WHO UNSEATED DIDI—SUVENDU ADHIKARI
The top candidate for Bengal’s new chief minister is the BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari. A former lieutenant of the highest rank in Mamata’s cabinet, Adhikari, is the one who has thrown her out of office and defeated the former chief minister from her home, Bhabanipur, by more than 15,000 votes.
His rise meets the CM requirements set by the party’s leadership, an individual who is Bengali-born, local, and deeply rooted in the state’s grassroots politics. After joining the BJP in the year 2020, Adhikari became the leader of the Bengali opposition. And his Bhabanipur victory has been a major factor in his becoming the most powerful leader of the party within the state.
OTHER CONTENDERS IN THE RACE
Dilip Ghosh—Senior BJP leader and former state president. The winner was from Kharagpur Sadar. He has an RSS background and was previously the leader of the party’s state-wide campaign.
Samik Bhattacharya – BJP, the state head. He is known as an organizational leader, with a focus on booth planning, the strength of the cadre, and the management of elections.
Rupa Ganguly – A former Rajya Sabha member and actor. He won a convincing victory over Sonarpur Dakshin.
Agnimitra Paul – Retained Asansol Dakshin with a large margin. As State Vice President, involved in public outreach, focusing on women’s issues as well as media communications.
Swapan Dasgupta won the Rashbehari seat. The former Rajya Sabha member and academic.
Read Also: Vijay Stakes Claim to Form Tamil Nadu Government With Congress Support
TWO DEPUTIES, ONE HISTORIC FIRST—THE WOMAN FACTOR
The newly elected BJP government is expected to record a new history by having not just two, but three deputy chief ministers. Dilip Ghosh and Agnimitra Paul are the top contenders for these positions. If elected, Paul would become the first female vice chief minister in the history of West Bengal.
Paul, who is a fashion designer and politician, was able to retain Asansol Dakshin by a substantial margin. She also serves as the vice president of the BJP in West Bengal. She has been particularly active in women’s issues as well as public relations — traits that make her appointment significant and transcend politics.
“LET THEM DISMISS ME”—MAMATA’S DEFIANT EXIT
Despite the BJP’s sweeping mandate, Mamata Banerjee resisted the call to quit, claiming that there was a conspiracy behind the election results. In a closed-door discussion with party members, she said:
“Let them impose President’s Rule if they want. Let them dismiss me if they want. Let it remain on record as a black day. “
The impasse was finally resolved after Bengal Governor RN Ravi dismantled the Legislative Assembly on May 7 when its five-year term was over. Although TMC intends to contest the results in court the BJP is moving ahead with the formation of a government.
HOW THE NEXT CM WILL BE CHOSEN
The BJP held a legislative gathering in Kolkata on May 8. In this session, 207 newly elected MLAs officially appointed a chief minister. State President Samik Bhattacharya suggested the name, and the Union Home Minister Amit Shah made the announcement of the final choice. Following the meeting, the party leaders traveled to Raj Bhavan to declare their claim to join the government.
SWEARING-IN ON RABINDRA JAYANTI—A DAY OF DOUBLE SIGNIFICANCE
The swearing-in ceremony has been scheduled for May 9 on a Saturday—which will coincide with Rabindra Jayanti, which is the birthday of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. The ceremony is likely to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as a number of important BJP officials, which will add the national aspect to an important moment in Bengal’s political past.
WHAT’S NEXT—WATCH THIS SPACE
The world’s attention is focused; all eyes are on Raj Bhavan this Saturday, the day before. The swearing-in ceremony at 10 am will officially begin an entirely new chapter for Bengal—one that is born by the weight of an historic mandate, a record-breaking political upheaval, and the possibility of a fresh era of government. Follow us for updates on live events.
