Suvendu Adhikari was sworn in as West Bengal's first BJP chief minister on Saturday, five days after the party ended 15 years of Trinamool Congress rule.
The oath-taking ceremony took place at Kolkata's Brigade Parade Ground. Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended along with several Union ministers and BJP chief ministers from other states. Five other ministers were also sworn in, representing various communities including the Rajbanshi, Matua and Adivasi groups.
Adhikari, 55, a former Trinamool Congress leader who joined the BJP in 2020, said after taking charge, “Ami mukhyomantri, ami ekhon sokoler.” He later visited the birthplace of Rabindranath Tagore to mark the start of a new era.
The Trinamool Congress issued a statement congratulating the new leaders and named Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay as Leader of the Opposition. Adhikari's parents, who could not attend due to illness, described his leadership qualities and calm nature.
