In a watershed moment in West Bengal politics, Suvendu Adhikari took oath as the state's first BJP chief minister on Saturday at the Brigade Parade Ground, a vast green expanse in the heart of Kolkata that has been prepped up for the saffron coronation.
Governor RN Ravi administered the oath of office and secrecy to Adhikari at a grand ceremony held at the Brigade Parade Grounds here in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union ministers, chief ministers of NDA-ruled states and senior BJP leaders.
Ahead of the swearing in ceremony, Prime Minister Narendra Modi led a road show at the Brigade Parade Grounds in Kolkata on Saturday..
Accompanied by state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya and CM-elect Suvendu Adhikari, Modi was accorded a rousing welcome.
Amid the 'Jay Shri Ram' slogan, Modi entered the venue on an open vehicle and was seen waving at the crowd.
The Prime Minister landed at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport here a little before 10 am and took a helicopter to reach the Race Course ground before proceeding by road to the venue.
A historic dawn for West Bengal indeed: Adhikari
Earlier in the day, Adhikari posted a message on X welcoming him to the state and describing the occasion as the fulfilment of the "dreams of our founding fathers".
"A historic dawn for West Bengal indeed. It is a moment of profound pride and jubilation to welcome visionary Leader PM Narendra Modi Ji to the City of Joy. Today, as we witness the swearing-in ceremony of the first-ever BJP government in West Bengal since Independence, we fulfil the dreams of our founding fathers.
"Today marks the end of decades of misrule and the beginning of a double-engine era of development, peace, and prosperity. The era of 'Sonar Bangla' officially begins," Adhikari posted on X.
BJP opens new chapter in Bengal
Opening a new chapter in Bengal politics, the BJP marched to power in the state for the first time with 207 seats in the 294-member Assembly, ending the 15-year rule of the TMC, which was reduced to just 80.
West Bengal recorded the highest-ever voter turnout since independence with an impressive 91.66% polling in Phase-ll of the Assembly elections. In phase I, the poll participation was 93.19%, taking the combined poll percentage to 92.47%.
The 2026 West Bengal Assembly election results have led to a dramatic political shift, ending Mamata Banerjee's long dominance and bringing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to power with a commanding 206 seats. This marks a major blow to the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), which secured only 80 seats, a steep decline from its previous stronghold.
