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Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Nisith Pramanik on Friday backed party leader Suvendu Adhikari as a key chief minister face in West Bengal, saying that there is "no other alternative" to him as of yet.
Speaking to ANI, ahead of the formation of the new government on Saturday, Pramanik said the BJP's win reflects people's desire for change in West Bengal. He added that tackling "infiltration" and fully fencing the border will be a top priority to protect the state and the country. "This victory is certainly a victory for every person in Bengal who dreamed of change in Bengal... The BJP has a huge responsibility. Infiltration and infiltrators have certainly been a huge problem for West Bengal... To protect this, to safeguard the integrity of the entire country, our priority task will always be to fully fence the border," Pramanik said. He further stated that West Bengal needs a leader like Suvendu Adhikari, calling him the only strong option at present, while noting that the party will take the final decision on the Chief Minister. "The person who has defeated Mamata Banerjee twice, who has sacrificed his life for his party and the country, Bengal needs such a Chief Minister. There's certainly no alternative to Suvendu Adhikari in Bengal yet. The party will decide, but this is how it should be. If there is a leader, he should be like this," he said. Adhikari also met with newly-elected MLAs of the party and other BJP leaders today. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who has been appointed as the Central Observer for the election of the legislative party leader in West Bengal, will chair the Legislative Party meeting this evening. Suvendu Adhikari has emerged as a central figure in the BJP's organisational discussions as the party prepares to finalise its leadership structure ahead of the swearing-in ceremony. Adhikari contested from Nandigram and Bhabhanipur, beating outgoing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee from her stronghold in Bhabanipur by a margin of over 15,000 votes. Political activity has intensified in Kolkata as the BJP moves closer to forming its government. Senior leaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, are scheduled to chair the legislative party meeting this evening, which will decide the next Chief Minister. Neiphiu Rio also arrived in Kolkata to attend the swearing-in ceremony, which is expected to see participation from several chief ministers and senior national leaders. BJP has won 207 seats in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, while the Trinamool Congress (TMC) secured 80 seats after ruling the state for 15 years. (ANI)
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