PM Modi, Amit Shah likely to attend BJP govt's oath-taking ceremony in West Bengal on May 9- Check venue, time
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are likely to attend the BJP government's oath-taking ceremony in West Bengal on May 9, after the saffron party won the Assembly elections with a massive margin, ending TMC Supremo Mamata Banerjee's 15-year rule in the state.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government's first oath-taking ceremony in West Bengal will be held on May 9 at Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata, state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya announced on Wednesday.
The saffron camp is prepared to formally assume power after ending West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee's 15-year rule in the state.
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1When and where will the BJP government's oath-taking ceremony in West Bengal take place?⌵
The BJP government's first oath-taking ceremony in West Bengal is scheduled for May 9 at 10 am at the Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata.
2Who are the key dignitaries expected to attend the West Bengal oath-taking ceremony?⌵
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are expected to attend the oath-taking ceremony. BJP President Nitin Nabin and several other Union ministers are also anticipated to be present.
3Why is the date of the West Bengal oath-taking ceremony significant?⌵
The ceremony is scheduled for the 25th day of Baisakh, which is observed as Rabindra Jayanti, the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore. This date adds cultural symbolism to the event and is seen as an attempt by the BJP to integrate its rise with Bengal's cultural identity.
4What was the outcome of the West Bengal Assembly elections?⌵
The BJP secured a landslide victory in the West Bengal Assembly elections, winning 206 seats out of 294. This marks the BJP's first government in the state, a significant increase from their 77 seats in the 2021 elections. The TMC secured 80 seats.
5What changes have been made to security arrangements at Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee's residences?⌵
Following the BJP's victory in the West Bengal Assembly elections, security arrangements outside the residences of Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee have been scaled down. Additional personnel and advanced barricading systems have been withdrawn, with only existing Z+ category security cover remaining.
Oath-taking ceremony details
The ceremony is scheduled to commence at 10 am, party sources told news agency PTI, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are expected to witness the ceremony, along with BJP President Nitin Nabin and several other Union ministers.
Speaking to reporters, Bhattacharya said, "The new BJP government will take oath on May 9 at 10 am at Brigade Parade Ground."
Swearing-in ceremony and significance of the date
Significantly, the swearing-in ceremony is expected to be held on the 25th day of Baisakh according to the Bengali calendar, observed across the state as Rabindra Jayanti, the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore, lending the event a layer of cultural symbolism.
Party sources added that the choice of the date is being viewed in political circles as an attempt by the BJP to embed its historic rise within the state's cultural imagination and counter the TMC's long-standing portrayal of the saffron party as a "party of outsiders" disconnected from Bengal's linguistic and intellectual ethos.
A meeting of the newly elected BJP MLAs has been called for May 8 evening, party sources said, though the leadership remained tight-lipped about the chief ministerial face.
Earlier today, senior BJP leaders, including State President Samik Bhattacharya and National General Secretary Sunil Bansal, arrived at Nabanna in Kolkata to attend a crucial meeting.
Amit Shah appointed as BJP's central observer for Bengal
ANI reported that on Tuesday, Shah was appointed as the party's central observer for West Bengal, with Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi serving as the central co-observer. Additionally, Union Minister JP Nadda has been designated as the central observer for the election of the leader of the party's legislative party in Assam, with Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini as the central co-observer.
Additionally, Shah is expected to visit West Bengal on Thursday evening as part of the saffron party's ongoing political engagements following its historic win in the state. According to top BJP sources, Shah will first attend the cabinet expansion oath-taking ceremony in Bihar and will subsequently depart directly from there to West Bengal. His visit is being seen as significant, coming at a crucial juncture when the party is actively engaged in post-election strategy and government formation discussions.
West Bengal Assembly elections
The BJP secured a landslide victory in the recently concluded Assembly elections, paving the way for its first-ever government in Bengal after years of organisational expansion and sharp ideological polarisation.
According to the latest data from the Election Commission of India (ECI), the BJP secured 206 seats out of 294 in the state Assembly elections, outperforming its 77-seat tally in the 2021 Assembly elections. The TMC, on the other hand, which swept the last Assembly polls by winning 212 seats, finished a distant second with just 80 seats.
(with agency inputs)
- BJP's victory in West Bengal represents a significant political shift and organizational expansion in the state.
- The timing of the oath-taking ceremony coincides with Rabindra Jayanti, blending political and cultural symbolism.
- The BJP's approach aims to counter perceptions of being an outsider party in West Bengal.