The ceremony marked a historic breakthrough for the BJP in a state long dominated by the Left Front and later the Trinamool Congress. Thousands of party workers gathered across Kolkata as the BJP officially assumed power in West Bengal for the first time since Independence.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the grand swearing-in ceremony held at Kolkata’s Brigade Parade Ground amid massive security arrangements and the presence of senior BJP leaders, party workers and supporters from across the state.
The swearing-in ceremony has drawn several senior leaders from the BJP and the NDA. Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, JP Nadda and Dharmendra Pradhan arrived in Kolkata on Friday to attend the event.
Calling the occasion a “historic dawn” for West Bengal, Adhikari welcomed PM Modi to the “City of Joy” and described the formation of the BJP government as the fulfilment of the aspirations of the party’s ideological founders.
In one of the most extensive measures, the entry and movement of goods vehicles within Kolkata Police jurisdiction will remain restricted from 4:00 am to 8:00 pm on May 9.
The ruling Trinamool Congress, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, is aiming for a fourth consecutive term, while the BJP has mounted an aggressive campaign to unseat the incumbent government.
Addressing a rally in Kolkata, PM Modi called the ongoing elections as a turning point, saying a “new revolution” in Bengal would be driven by the power of each vote. He claimed that years of bloodshed and instability under the TMC government were nearing an end, urging voters to bring in change through the ballot.
With voting underway and political rhetoric peaking, the Prime Minister promised strict law enforcement, direct financial support and expanded welfare coverage if the Bharatiya Janata Party comes to power in the state.
The Chief Minister also questioned the timing of the move, asking why the government delayed action for nearly three years after the bill’s passage in September 2023 and then chose to push it when several states are heading into elections.
PM Modi alleged that opposition parties, particularly the TMC and the Congress, did not want more women from Bengal entering Parliament and state assemblies because the daughters of Bengal were challenging their "Maha Jungle Raj."
