Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], May 8 : Bharatiya Janata Party leader Suvendhu Adhikari was on Friday elected the BJP Legislative Party Leader for the party in West Bengal on Friday, paving the way for him to become the first BJP Chief Minister in the history of the State.
Senior BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced the name of Adhikari as the party's leader after chairing a party meeting in Kolkata today.
"I announce the name of Suvendu Adhikari elected as Leader of West Bengal BJP Legislative Party," Shah, the Central Observer for the election of the legislative party leader in West Bengal said.
He is set to take oath tomorrow on the day, which marks the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Nisith Pramanik had backed party leader 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, 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.
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.
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.
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.
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