Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel reached Kolkata on Saturday for the swearing-in ceremony of Suvendu Adhikari, who is set to take oath as the first Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Chief Minister of West Bengal.
His visit comes as senior leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) gathered in the city ahead of the major political event.
The ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Brigade Parade Ground and is expected to draw top national leaders.
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NDA leaders gather in Kolkata for major political event
Bhupendra Patel was accompanied by Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
Security arrangements and stage preparations were also being completed as leaders from BJP-ruled states and NDA-governed regions started reaching the city. The event is expected to see participation from several Union ministers and senior party figures.
Suvendu Adhikari chosen as BJP legislature party leader
On Friday, Suvendu Adhikari was formally elected as the leader of the BJP legislature party in West Bengal. The decision came after the party secured a clear majority in the recently concluded Assembly elections.
Adhikari’s rise to the top post follows two closely watched electoral contests against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. In the 2021 Assembly elections, he defeated Banerjee in Nandigram by a narrow margin. Later, in the 2026 elections, he again defeated her in Bhabanipur, this time by more than 15,000 votes.
National leaders expected as BJP marks new government formation
The swearing-in ceremony is expected to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, several Union ministers, and chief ministers from BJP-ruled and NDA states.
Amit Shah had announced Adhikari’s selection as Chief Minister after a legislature party meeting held in Kolkata, finalising the leadership transition.
Reacting to the BJP’s performance in West Bengal, Gujarat Agriculture Minister and government spokesperson Jitu Vaghani described the election outcome in strong terms.
Speaking at a press conference in Somnath Sagar Darshan ahead of Prime Minister Modi’s Gujarat visit scheduled for May 11, he said, “The victory achieved in Bengal after India’s independence is equivalent to a second independence.”