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Today, May 9, 2026, marks the 165th birth anniversary of ‘Bishwakavi’ Rabindranath Tagore, and Bengal’s winning party made this day even more memorable with the official oath-taking ceremony of the state’s new chief minister. Suvendu Adhikari has officially taken oath as the state’s first Bharatiya Janata Party CM at the iconic Brigade Parade Grounds in Kolkata, attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and several BJP Chief Ministers.
Adhikari, once one of Mamata Banerjee’s closest confidants in the Trinamool Congress, has now undergone a dramatic political transformation, leading the BJP to a sweeping victory in the 2026 Assembly elections. In case you missed it, the BJP won 207 seats in the 294-member Assembly, ending TMC’s 15-year rule over Bengal and the party’s first-ever government in Bengal.
With the party’s first chapter in Bengal, here’s everything you need to know about the state’s new chief minister, Suvendu Adhikari.
Who is Suvendu Adhikari?
Suvendu Adhikari was born on 15 December 1970 in Purba Medinipur district and belongs to one of the most influential families of Bengal. His journey into politics began somewhere in the mid-1990s, when he started out as a member of the Congress Party. After a few years, he joined Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress in 1998, a time when the party was rising against Bengal’s dominant Left Front government. Over the years, Suvendu became one of Mamata’s most trusted lieutenants, emerging as one of the TMC’s strongest grassroots-level leaders.
During the 2000s and the early 2010s, his presence largely helped the party tighten its reins, especially during the Singur and Nandigram anti-land acquisition movements. He is largely credited with Mamata Banerjee’s historic rise to power in 2011. It was a landmark moment in Bengal’s politics as Banerjee’s win ended 35 years of Left-Front-led government in the state.
Suvendu Adhikari’s educational qualifications
The 55-year-old politician received his primary and secondary education in Puba Medinipur’s Contai High School (also known as Kanthi High School). After completing his Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree from Prabhat Kumar College in Contai, he completed his master’s in history from Rabindra Bharati University in 2011.
Before becoming the Chief Minister of Bengal, Suvendy Adhikari served as an MLA, Lok Sabha MP, cabinet minister in the Mamata Banerjee government, and later as the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly after joining the BJP in 2020.
How Suvendu Adhikari became Mamata Banerjee’s biggest rival
Suvendu and Mamata were a team for two decades, but their equation changed dramatically in 2020 when he quit the TMC and joined the BJP amid growing tensions within the party leadership. His switch itself was explosive, but the rivalry took a greater turn when he defeated Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram in the 2021 Assembly elections. The victory made him the biggest face of the BJP in Bengal.
And now, five years later, Suvendu repeated history, this time, in the Bhabanipur constituency. Competing against Mamata Banerjee in the 2026 elections, he defeated the CM by a staggering margin of 15,105 votes, while also retaining his power over Nandigram, defeating TMC’s Pabitra Kar by 9,665 votes. The breakneck competition between Banerjee and Adhikari was the biggest highlight of this year’s Bengal elections, with the whole nation closely watching the live results since the morning of May 4, 2026. His win not only made him one of the most powerful frontrunners for the next CM’s seat, but also ultimately toppled the TMC government after 15 years.
Is Suvendu Adhikari married? What we know about his family and personal life
Suvendu’s father, Sisir Kumar Adhikari, is a veteran politician and former Union minister of State who has been elected a Member of Parliament (MP) three times. His mother, Gayatri Adhikari, has largely stayed away from active politics, while his brothers Dibyendu and Soumendu Adhikari are also actively involved in public life. The family built a strong political base across coastal West Bengal over several decades, particularly in Contai and Nandigram.
He may be one of West Bengal’s most prominent political faces at the moment, but Suvendu Adhikari has kept much of his personal life away from the spotlight. The current CM is not married, and he has often described himself as living a celibate life, inspired by spiritual leaders and freedom fighters of India. Regarding Suvendu’s personal interests, he is said to be a sports enthusiast with a keen interest in football and cricket.
Suvendu Adhikari’s net worth
According to the election affidavit submitted for the 2026 West Bengal Assembly polls, Suvendu Adhikari declared a total net worth of INR 85.87 lakh, including INR 24.57 lakh in movable assets and INR 61.30 lakh in immovable assets. The politician declared ‘NIL’ in car and jewellery ownership, with just INR 12,000 listed as cash in hand. His assets mainly include bank deposits, LIC policies, savings certificates, and agricultural as well as residential properties in Purba Medinipur.
Suvendu Adhikari’s swearing-in as the new chief minister of Bengal officially marks a new chapter for the Bharatiya Janata Party, after several inflammatory remarks and political clashes.
Pics: Suvendu Adhikari/X, ANI, AFP
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