Who Is Suvendu Adhikari? West Bengal’s First BJP Chief Minister | ISH News

After 15 years of Trinamool Congress (TMC) rule, West Bengal has witnessed a historic political shift. For the first time, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has formed the government in the state, and Suvendu Adhikari has become Bengal’s first BJP Chief Minister. But who is Suvendu Adhikari? Born on 15 December 1970 in Purba Medinipur, Suvendu comes from one of Bengal’s most influential political families. His father, Sisir Adhikari, served as a Union Minister, and the Adhikari family has dominated politics in East Midnapore for decades. Suvendu is unmarried and says he devoted his life entirely to politics. He began his political journey with the Congress in the 1990s, becoming a councillor in Contai. When Mamata Banerjee formed the Trinamool Congress in 1998, Suvendu joined her. His defining moment came in 2007 during the Nandigram land acquisition protests. Suvendu emerged as the movement’s key organiser, helping turn public anger against the Left Front government. Many believe the Nandigram movement laid the foundation for TMC’s historic victory in 2011. Suvendu quickly rose within TMC—becoming MP from Tamluk, a state minister, and widely regarded as Mamata Banerjee’s second-in-command. However, as Abhishek Banerjee gained influence in TMC, Suvendu’s relationship with Mamata Banerjee deteriorated. In December 2020, he made a dramatic switch to the BJP. The move shocked Bengal politics. In the 2021 Assembly election, Suvendu contested against Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram and defeated her by a narrow margin. Though TMC retained power, he became Leader of the Opposition and the BJP’s most powerful face in Bengal. Five years later, in 2026, he led BJP to a historic victory and took oath as Chief Minister on 9 May. Suvendu’s career has not been free from controversy. Several criminal and corruption-related cases have been filed against him over the years, though he has consistently denied all allegations, calling them politically motivated. Despite controversies and constant political battles, Suvendu Adhikari has played a central role in two of Bengal’s biggest power shifts—first helping TMC defeat the Left Front, and later helping BJP defeat TMC. Now, all eyes are on him. Will he focus on governance and development, or will Bengal continue to see intense communal and political polarization? The answer will shape the state’s future. #SuvenduAdhikari #WestBengal #BengalPolitics #BJP #TMC #MamataBanerjee #WestBengalElection2026 #BengalElections ISH News broadcasts the Daily News and Entertainment online in Deaf-friendly accessible formats which are in Indian Sign Language (ISL), visual images with titles, voice-over and closed-captions. This ensures that we provide equal access to every individual, whilst promoting awareness. Follow us for all the latest News & Entertainment and to keep up-to date on all the happenings at ISH News: WhatsApp Channel: https://ish.news/ish-whatsapp Facebook:   / ishnews   Twitter:   / ishnews_tv   Instagram:   / ishnews   Official Site: http://www.ishnews.tv/ Thanks for watching!! Favourites, Likes, Feedbacks & Shares are always appreciated.