For the first time in West Bengal’s history, a BJP government has taken charge. On May 9, 2026, Suvendu Adhikari was sworn in as the state’s first BJP Chief Minister at the iconic Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata. Five ministers joined him in the cabinet. Governor R N Ravi administered the oath at the ceremony, which was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Ministers of NDA-ruled states.
It is a moment that would have seemed impossible just a decade ago. For decades, West Bengal was considered untouchable ground for the BJP. But slowly, steadily, the party built its presence and today, it sits in power.
Here is a look at the six people who now hold the reins of Bengal.
Suvendu Adhikari — The man who made the impossible possible
Born on December 15, 1970, in Contai, West Bengal, Suvendu Adhikari previously served as a minister in Mamata Banerjee’s government, handling the Transport and Environment portfolios. He then made a dramatic switch joining the BJP at Home Minister Amit Shah’s rally in Midnapore in December 2020.
A Bengali-medium educated leader who grew up understanding the pulse of Bengal, Adhikari won from both the Bhabanipur and Nandigram constituencies in the 2026 elections. From opposition leader to Chief Minister, his journey is nothing short of remarkable.
Dilip Ghosh — The man who built the foundation
Dilip Ghosh is a senior BJP leader and former president of the party’s West Bengal unit. He began his political journey as a full-time RSS pracharak and played a key role in strengthening the BJP’s grassroots presence in Bengal after 2014. He earlier served as a Member of Parliament from the Medinipur Lok Sabha constituency and is widely regarded as one of the key architects of the BJP’s rise in the state.
If Adhikari is the face of the new government, Ghosh is the backbone that held the party together through its toughest years in Bengal.
Agnimitra Paul — From fashion ramp to cabinet
Agnimitra Paul is the only woman minister in the new Bengal cabinet. A fashion designer turned politician, she joined the BJP in 2019 and rose quickly within party ranks. In 2020, she was appointed president of the BJP Mahila Morcha in West Bengal.
Her journey is one of the most unconventional in Indian politics from designing clothes to fighting elections and now sitting in a state cabinet. She won the Asansol Dakshin Assembly seat in the 2021 elections by defeating Trinamool Congress candidate Saayoni Ghosh and has retained the seat again in 2026.
Nisith Pramanik — Young, Ambitious and Battle-Tested
Nisith Pramanik is regarded as one of the BJP’s prominent young leaders from North Bengal. Before joining the BJP in 2019, he was associated with the Trinamool Congress. In July 2021, he was inducted into the Narendra Modi government as Minister of State for Home Affairs and Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, becoming one of the youngest Union ministers at the age of 35. He is considered an influential face among the Rajbanshi community and holds strong organisational and youth support across North Bengal.
Kshudiram Tudu — A voice for tribal bengal
Kshudiram Tudu is a tribal leader from Bankura district and represents the Ranibandh Assembly constituency in the Jungle Mahal region, which has a sizable tribal population.
His inclusion in the cabinet sends a clear message the BJP does not want to govern only for urban Bengal. The forests and villages matter too.
Ashok Kirtania — The matua community’s representative
Ashok Kirtania is a BJP MLA from the Bangaon Uttar constituency in North 24 Parganas, a region known for its significant Matua voter base. He comes from a business background and has been actively involved in local organisational politics before rising within the BJP ranks.
The Matua community has long been a decisive vote bank in Bengal. By including Kirtania, the BJP is acknowledging that political trust must be rewarded.
The new cabinet represents diverse backgrounds: Matua, tribal, OBC, Kayastha and Rajbanshi communities, all sitting at the same table. This was not accidental. The selection reflects a careful and deliberate strategy by the BJP to reach every corner of Bengal’s complex social fabric.
But beyond the politics, this cabinet is made up of six real people each with their own battles, journeys and stories. A grassroots RSS worker, a fashion designer, a young leader who once sat with the opposition, a tribal representative and a Matua voice all now working together towards one goal.
West Bengal has turned a new page. What gets written next is what really matters.
Subscribe Deshwale on YouTube
