"BJP's rise based on Syama Prasad Mookerjee's ideology": West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari

Speaking to the reporters, CM Adhikari said, "The ideology and political foundation on which the rise and ultimately victory of BJP is based, is that of Syama Prasad Mookerjee...if not for Syama Prasad Mookerjee, our condition would have been the same as the minority Hindus in Bangladesh. I will propose to the cabinet and in the assembly to designate June 20, 1947, as West Bengal's Foundation Day."

CM Adhikari also offered prayers at the Bharat Sevashram Sangha in Kolkata.

Earlier in the day, CM Suvendu Adhikari took oath as the state's first BJP Chief Minister, marking an end to 15 years of TMC rule.

Five BJP leaders, Dilip Ghosh, Agnimitra Paul, Ashok Kirtania, Kshudiram Tudu and Nisith Pramanik, also took oath as ministers in the West Bengal cabinet.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, JP Nadda and Dharmendra Pradhan attended the swearing-in ceremony. Various Chief Ministers, including Manik Saha (Tripura), Himanta Biswa Sarma (Assam), Rekha Gupta (Delhi), Pushkar Dhami (Uttarakhand). and several other leaders were also present.

Following the swearing-in ceremony, the Prime Minister also met the families of slain BJP workers Debasish Mondal, Soumitra Ghoshal and Ananda Paul.

Adhikari was sworn in as the 9th Chief Minister of West Bengal by Governor RN Ravi at a grand ceremony in Kolkata attended by Prime Minister Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and several senior BJP leaders.

The BJP secured a historic victory in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, winning 207 seats and ending the Trinamool Congress's 15-year rule in the state. The TMC secured 80 seats in the elections.

Adhikari had defeated former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur by over 15,000 votes and also retained the Nandigram Assembly seat. (ANI)