NEW DELHI/KOLKATA: Preparations are in full swing at Kolkata’s Biswa Bangla Convention Centre ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah overseeing the selection of the BJP’s first Chief Minister in West Bengal on May 8, a day before the swearing-in at Brigade Parade Ground, which coincides with the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore, following the party’s sweeping Assembly poll victory.
Shah’s central role marks a rare and deliberate political move. The BJP’s chief strategist had camped in West Bengal for weeks during the campaign, an unusual step underscoring the party’s high-stakes push in the state. Party insiders say Shah’s involvement, uncommon in post-poll leadership decisions, aims to consolidate authority and avoid internal discord, with Suvendu Adhikari widely seen as the frontrunner for the chief minister’s post. The party is also learnt to be considering Tapas Roy, a former Trinamool Congress leader, for the Assembly Speaker’s position, citing his legislative experience. The oath-taking ceremony is scheduled for May 9 at the historic Brigade Parade Ground, coinciding with the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore. Shah has been appointed central observer for the BJP legislature party meeting, with Orissa Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi as co-observer to assist in government formation.
The BJP secured a landslide mandate, winning 207 of the 294 Assembly seats, while the All India Trinamool Congress led by outgoing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was reduced to 80, marking a dramatic reversal from the 2021 polls. State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya confirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shah and other senior leaders will attend the swearing-in ceremony. “We will not follow the TMC regime-like rule during our tenure; no violence of any sort will be taken lightly,” he said, amid concerns over post-poll violence.
Bhattacharya also visited the state secretariat and met Chief Secretary Dushyant Nariala and other officials, urging immediate measures to prevent clashes and reviewing arrangements for the ceremony. The focus, however, remains firmly on the choice of chief minister. Adhikari, who defeated Banerjee in Bhabanipur by a margin of over 15,000 votes, has emerged as the leading contender within party ranks. Seen as a key organiser and a trusted lieutenant of Shah, his elevation is widely expected, though the final decision will be taken at the legislature party meeting.
“I will vacate one seat within 10 days. The party will decide which one I retain,” Adhikari said, and added that the BJP aims to establish long-term governance in the state. Other names in circulation include Bhattacharya, Swapan Dasgupta and Sanjeev Sanyal, though party insiders indicate there is little room for surprises. With Shah set to preside over the meeting, the BJP is poised to formalise its first government in West Bengal, marking a significant political shift and the end of the Trinamool Congress’s dominance in the state after a decade and half.
