Kolkata, May 8 After Union Home Minister Amit Shah officially announced Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari as the next Chief Minister of West Bengal, Adhikari said that the decision reflects the "democracy" within the party whose elected representatives have chosen the leader.
Speaking to reporters, Adhikari expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP President Nitin Nabin and Home Minister Shah for the opportunity.
"This is the democracy in BJP where elected representatives have chosen the leader. I will work to fulfill the commitments made during the elections, taking both the party organisation and the people together," he said.
Adhikari had defeated former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee from Bhabanipur Assembly constituency and also won from Nandigram. In a landslide victory, the BJP won 208 seats in the state Assembly polls.
BJP leaders also exhibited their happiness over Adhikari's appointment as the new West Bengal Chief Minister.
BJP leader Locket Chatterjee said the dream to bring "poriborton" (change) in Bengal has been fulfilled today.
She said: "Suvendu Da as well as our party workers have fought very hard. Many of the BJP workers have been martyred. Today their souls would be at peace."
Emphasising that this is the first time a BJP government will be formed in the state, Chatterjee asserted that the party, under the leadership of the new Chief Minister and Bengal BJP Chief Samik Bhattacharya, will work in tandem with the people of the state.
"We will together create 'Sonar Bangla'," she said, adding: "The double engine government will work towards providing security to women."
BJP MLA-elect Bankim Chandra Ghosh said: "I and all other MLAs are very happy. We all supported Suvendu Da together."
"The people of Bengal are also very happy," he added.
Husband of BJP MLA-elect Ratna Debnath, Sekhar Ranjan Debnath, also supported the decision of the party.
"The party has chosen the person it felt was most suitable for the post," he told IANS.
BJP MLA-elect Chandra Sekhar Banerjee asserted that the appointment as West Bengal Chief Minister is the result of Suvendu Adhikari's "hard work" for so many years.
"The people of Bengal have got freedom from Mamata Banerjee's 'jungle raj'," he said.
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