Suvendu Adhikari is set to take oath as the next Chief Minister of West Bengal after the Bharatiya Janata Party secured a sweeping victory in the 2026 Assembly elections, bringing an end to the 15-year rule of the All India Trinamool Congress.
The decision was formalised on Friday when the BJP elected Adhikari as the leader of its legislature party in a meeting held in Kolkata, chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday. The party swept the elections with 207 of 293 seats, while the Trinamool Congress was reduced to 80 seats, marking one of the most dramatic electoral reversals in the state’s history.
Revisiting a remark Adhikari made at a rally in East Midnapore in November last year, when he told Trinamool Congress chief and then Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee: “Bengal will shake you out of power.” Six months later, that statement has taken political shape, with Adhikari poised to replace Banerjee as Chief Minister, completing one of the most striking turnarounds in recent Indian political history.
This is also the second time Adhikari has directly defeated Mamata Banerjee in electoral politics. In the 2021 Assembly elections, he won Nandigram by 1,956 votes, in a closely watched contest that reshaped Bengal’s political landscape. In 2026, he went on to defeat her again in Bhabanipur by 15,105 votes, further strengthening his dominance.
From Trusted Aide To Political Rival
At 55, Adhikari’s rise marks a rare full-circle journey in Bengal politics. Once among Mamata Banerjee’s most trusted lieutenants, he was considered the second-most powerful leader in the Trinamool Congress during its peak years. Born into a political family, he is the son of former Union minister Sisir Adhikari. He began his political career in the Congress student wing, the Chhatra Parishad, before entering local politics as a councillor in Kanthi municipality in 1995.
After joining the Trinamool Congress in 1998, he quickly rose through the organisational ranks in Purba Medinipur, helping the party challenge the CPI(M)’s stronghold in the region. His political stature surged during the 2007 Nandigram anti-land acquisition movement, which became a defining moment in Bengal politics. Known for his aggressive mobilisation, rural connect, and street-level leadership style, Adhikari transformed himself into a key mass leader for the TMC.
He later won the Lok Sabha seat from Tamluk in 2009 and retained it in 2014 before shifting to state politics. In 2016, he won the Nandigram Assembly seat, after which Mamata Banerjee appointed him Transport Minister.
The relationship between Adhikari and the Trinamool leadership deteriorated over internal party dynamics, particularly the rising influence of Abhishek Banerjee. As tensions escalated, Adhikari gradually distanced himself from the leadership structure. In December 2020, he officially joined the BJP in one of the most consequential political defections in Bengal politics. His departure triggered a major realignment in the state’s political equations.
After joining the BJP, Adhikari adopted a more aggressive political posture, frequently using slogans like “tolabaj bhaipo hatao” (remove the extortionist nephew), directly targeting the Trinamool leadership. Mamata Banerjee, in response, launched sharp personal and political attacks, further intensifying the rivalry.
BJP’s Rise In Bengal And Adhikari’s Central Role
When the BJP emerged as the principal opposition in 2021 with 77 seats, Adhikari became the party’s Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly. Over the next five years, he played a central role in expanding the BJP’s organisational footprint across the state.
He was frequently seen leading aggressive Assembly debates, often resulting in suspensions as he cornered the state government over allegations of corruption, political violence and law-and-order failures. He also repeatedly approached the Calcutta High Court on various political and administrative issues.
During the post-poll violence of 2021, Adhikari remained active on the ground, meeting affected BJP workers and families of victims, reinforcing his image as a frontline political fighter.
Within the BJP, Adhikari became a key organisational strategist, working closely with RSS-linked cadres, senior leadership and district-level workers. He played a major role in booth-level planning, candidate selection, and constituency management across the state.
His influence was particularly strong in Purba Medinipur, where the BJP delivered a perfect 16/16 seat performance in 2026. He also retained Nandigram with a significantly increased margin of 9,665 votes.
The party’s victory in Bhabanipur, long considered Mamata Banerjee’s political stronghold, was seen as one of the most symbolic moments of the election.
From Opposition Leader To Chief Minister
Adhikari’s transformation from Mamata Banerjee’s closest political aide to her primary challenger has now culminated in him leading the BJP government in West Bengal. His elevation as Chief Minister marks not just a personal milestone but a broader political shift in Bengal—one shaped by years of organisational work, electoral battles, and sustained grassroots mobilisation.
As he prepares to take oath, Adhikari’s journey stands as one of the most consequential political reversals in recent Indian state politics, ending in the very seat he once helped his former leader consolidate. |
