Bengal gets a new government: BJP to take oath on May 9, CM name still awaited

West Bengal is set for a major political shift with the BJP preparing to form its first government in the state. The swearing-in ceremony will take place at the Brigade Parade Ground on May 9 at 10 am.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president Nitin Nabin and several Union ministers and chief ministers from BJP and NDA-ruled states are expected to attend, a party source told PTI. 

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“The new BJP government will take oath on May 9 at 10 am at Brigade Parade Ground,” state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya said on Wednesday.

CM face yet to be announced

The BJP has not officially named its chief ministerial candidate yet. However, Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari has emerged as a leading contender in internal discussions.

Adhikari, once a close aide of Mamata Banerjee, played a key role in expanding the Trinamool Congress in rural Bengal before joining the BJP ahead of the 2021 assembly elections. He defeated Banerjee in Nandigram, one of the most high-profile contests in the state.

Five years later, he again defeated Banerjee in Bhabanipur by over 15,000 votes, strengthening his position within the party.

Other names in consideration include Bhattacharya, Union minister Sukanta Majumdar and former Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta. Party insiders indicate that the leadership is inclined towards a “bhumiputra” or “son of the soil” face.

Focus on ‘son of the soil’ pitch

During the campaign, Shah repeatedly said that the BJP’s chief minister in Bengal would be someone born and educated in the state. The statement was aimed at countering the Trinamool Congress’s allegation that the BJP represents an outsider political culture.

BJP ends TMC’s 15-year rule

The BJP won 207 out of 294 seats in the recently concluded assembly elections, bringing an end to the Trinamool Congress’s uninterrupted 15-year rule.

The result marks the party’s biggest electoral breakthrough in Bengal, where it had earlier struggled to establish a strong presence.

Ceremony coincides with Rabindra Jayanti

The oath-taking will be held on the 25th day of Baisakh, observed as Rabindra Jayanti, the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore.

Party leaders say the timing is intended to connect the political moment with Bengal’s cultural identity.

Cultural outreach and regional considerations

Over the years, the BJP has increasingly referred to figures such as Swami Vivekananda, Subhas Chandra Bose and Syama Prasad Mookerjee as part of its outreach in Bengal.

Discussions are also underway on regional representation, especially regarding north Bengal, where the party has performed strongly in recent elections.

MLA meeting on May 8

A meeting of newly elected BJP MLAs has been scheduled for May 8 evening. The leadership is expected to take a final call on the chief minister during or after the meeting.

The ceremony at Brigade Parade Ground is being seen as a significant moment in Bengal’s political history, marking the BJP’s rise from the margins to power in the state.