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Who Will Be West Bengal’s First BJP Chief Minister: LoP Suvendu Adhikari Or An RSS-Backed Candidate?
· Free Press Journal
New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday scripted history by winning West Bengal for the first time, ending the Trinamool Congress’ 15-year rule.
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The saffron party secured a thumping majority of 206 seats, far exceeding the majority mark of 148. All eyes are now on who will become the BJP’s first-ever Chief Minister in the state. Here is a list of candidates who could be given the responsibility for the top post.
Suvendu Adhikari:
Once considered Mamata Banerjee’s right-hand man, he went on to defeat his former boss twice, first in Nandigram in 2021 and now in Bhabanipur in 2026. As Leader of the Opposition, Adhikari consistently cornered Mamata’s government on various issues, especially minority appeasement, Bangladeshi infiltrators, and the law-and-order situation.
Dilip Ghosh:
Former state unit chief Dilip Ghosh, a core BJP leader, played a key role in strengthening the party’s base since 2016, when it had only three seats. In 2019, the BJP won 18 out of the 42 Lok Sabha seats, recording its best performance to date. Dilip Ghosh was also a Member of Parliament from Medinipur.
Ideologically committed, he was in charge of the RSS, the BJP’s ideological parent, in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and also worked as an assistant to former RSS chief K. S. Sudarshan.
Samik Bhattacharya:
Samik Bhattacharya also has an RSS background. He has been associated with the state BJP since a time when it had little political presence and was the first elected BJP MLA in the state, winning from Basirhat Dakshin in a 2014 by-election.