FOLLOW US: @TheStatesmanLtd @thestatesmanltd thestatesman1875 www.thestatesman.com People’s Parliament, Always in Session India’s National Newspaper since 1818 | Pages 12 | ` 5.00 | KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | MUMBAI | BHUBANESWAR | LUCKNOW | SILIGURI | Saturday, 09 May 2026 Adhikari chosen as Bengal CM; swearing-in today at Brigade RAJIB CHAKRABORTY Kolkata, 8 May E nding days of speculation, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday formally elected the Leader of Opposition in the previous Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, as the leader of its legislature party, clearing the way for him to become the next Chief Minister of West Bengal after the party’s sweeping victory in the Assembly elections. The announcement was made by Union home minister Amit Shah after a meeting of the BJP’s 207 newly elected MLAs at the Biswa Bangla Convention Centre in New Town. Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi attended the meeting as co-observer. Mr Adhikari later in the evening met Governor R N Ravi and formally staked claim to form the government. Senior BJP leaders, including Dilip Ghosh, Locket Chatterjee and Tapas Roy, accompanied Mr Adhikari to the Lok Bhavan. Earlier, addressing the media after the meeting of the BJP legislature party, Mr Shah said the process of electing the party leader was completed unanimously. “Eight proposals were placed before the meeting and all of them carried only one name. Adequate time was given for proposing a second name, but none came forward. Therefore, Suvendu Adhikari has been elected as the chief minister of West Bengal,” Mr Shah said. The new BJP government will be sworn in on Saturday at Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several senior BJP leaders. Mr Adhikari later told newly elected party legislators, senior leaders and party workers that every assurance announced by Prime Minister Modi during the election campaign would be implemented by the new government. He said that the Centre and the state government would work in close coordination for the development of Bengal and to fulfil the expectations of the people. “The objective before us is to rebuild West Bengal through development, employment generation and transparent governance,” Mr Adhikari said. Thanking the people of Bengal for placing their trust in the BJP, Mr Adhikari said the mandate reflected the aspirations of people seeking political and administrative change in the state. Emphasising the BJP’s governance priorities, Mr Adhikari said that the new government would focus on “more work and less words” while ensuring transparency and accountability in administration. He stressed that women’s safety and security would be one of the key priorities of the government. Although there had been intense speculation over the BJP’s choice for chief minister, Mr Adhikari had emerged as the frontrunner ever since the election results were declared. Party insiders pointed to his back-to-back electoral victories over Trinamul Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee as the defining factor behind the leadership decision. In the 2021 Assembly polls, Mr Adhikari defeated Miss Banerjee in Nandigram by a narrow margin of 1,956 votes. In the recently concluded election, he again challenged her politically, contesting from both Nandigram and Bhowanipore. While retaining Nandigram comfortably, he defeated Miss Banerjee in Bhowanipore by more than 15,000 votes, significantly strengthening his claim for the chief minister’s post. The BJP secured 207 of the 293 Assembly seats for which results were declared on 4 May, comfortably crossing the majority mark in the 294-member House. The Trinamul Congress won 80 seats, while the remaining six went to Left parties, Congress and Independents. Polling in the Falta constituency in South 24-Parganas is scheduled for 21 May. Amit Shah: ‘Sonar Bangla’ will be built through governance, development STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Kolkata, 8 May Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said the Bharatiya Janata Party would work towards building a “Sonar Bangla” through governance and development after senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari was unanimously elected leader of the BJP Legislative Party in West Bengal. Addressing newly elected BJP MLAs and party leaders at the Biswa Bangla Convention Centre in New Town, Mr Shah described Mr Adhikari as the central figure in the party’s plans for the state and formally announced his name as the legislature party leader, paving the way for him to become the first BJP chief minister of West Bengal. The Union home minister thanked the people of Bengal for giving the BJP a decisive mandate and said the party Today, Kavi Guru’s words are becoming meaningful ~ Bengal is walking on the path where the mind is without fear and the head is held high with pride. AMIT SHAH, UNION MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS remained committed to fulfilling the expectations of voters. “The atmosphere that had been created since the Communist era was deepened by Mamata Banerjee, and it had almost become impossible to cast votes freely there. I thank the people of Bengal for the huge victory they have given the BJP under the leadership of Narendra Modi,” Mr Shah said. “On behalf of the party, I want to assure the people of Bengal that the expectations with which they have voted for us will be honoured. We will do our best to uphold their trust fully,” he added. Mr Shah also invoked the vision of “Sonar Bangla” while outlining the BJP government’s roadmap for the state. Referring to Rabindranath Tagore, whose birth anniversary falls on Saturday, the day Mr Adhikari is scheduled to take oath as chief minister. “It is the responsibility of every BJP worker to move forward with the dream of ‘Sonar Bangla’ and fulfil the aspirations of the people. Today, Kavi Guru’s words are becoming meaningful ~ Bengal is walking on the path where the mind is without fear and the head is held high with pride,” he said. Life comes full circle for Suvendu Adhikari, BJP’s West Bengal’s CM-elect Prez Trump congratulates VIBHA SHARMA New Delhi, 8 May In West Bengal this time, the BJP sprang no surprises. On Friday, the party named Suvendu Adhikari as its Chief Minister, rewarding him for its spectacular victory in the 2026 Assembly elections and for defeating TMC chairperson Mamata Banerjee not once but twice. Formally elected leader of the BJP Legislature Party on Friday, Mr Adhikari is scheduled to take oath as the state’s first BJP Chief Minister on Rabindra Jayanti — a significant day for both Bengal and the party. The scale of the BJP’s emphatic victory, which marks the end of the TMC’s 15-year rule, is underscored by Banerjee’s loss to Mr Adhikari in Bhowanipore. Interestingly, Mr Adhikari is also credited for his part as Miss Banerjee's key lieutenant in the Nandigam movement that helped break the CPI(M)’s grassroots dominance, ending the Left Front’s 34-year rule. As a senior BJP leader explained, the campaign in West Bengal was strategised and monitored by Home Minister Amit Shah, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and powered by the party’s ideological fountainhead, the RSS. However, that does not diminish Mr Adhikari’s relentless political battle against Mamata Banerjee under very difficult political circumstances, powering his claim to the top post. When Mr Adhikari filed his nomination papers from Bhabanipur, Mr Shah accompanied him, signalling the BJP leadership’s intent from the outset. Notably, unlike in Lok Sabha polls, the BJP rarely fields candidates from two Assembly constituencies simultaneously, making Mr Adhikari’s dual candiature in 2026 a SC raps MP govt over delay in sanction to prosecute Minister for remarks on Col Sofiya Qureshi PARMOD KUMAR New Delhi, 8 May The Supreme Court on Friday took strong exception to the prolonged delay by the Madhya Pradesh government in deciding the Special Investigation Team’s (SIT) request for sanction to prosecute State minister Kunwar Vijay Shah over his objectionable remarks against Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, observing that “enough is enough”. A Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi noted that the SIT’s request for sanction to prosecute had been pending with the State government since 19 August 2025, despite the court’s 19 January 2026 direction to take a decision within two weeks. During the 19 January 2026 hearing, the Supreme Court had questioned the Madhya Pradesh government over its failure to decide on the SIT’s request for sanction to prosecute Shah and expressed dissatisfaction over the continued inaction. Directing the state government to take a decision within two weeks, Chief Justice Surya Kant had observed: “You are sitting over the SIT report since August 19, 2025. Statute casts an obligation on you and you must take a call. It is 19 January now.” The court had underlined that the State could not indefinitely delay a decision mandated by law. The SIT had sought sanction to prosecute Shah for offences under Sections 196 (1)(a) and 196(1)(b) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The court’s remarks on Friday came after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the State government, informed the Bench that the SIT’s request for sanction to prosecute Shah was still pending before the Madhya Pradesh government. • Details: Page 9 politically strategic move. Mr Adhikari does not come from an RSS background. Like Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who crossed over from a rival party and rose to prominence within the BJP, Mr Adhikari, too, has emerged as one of the top saffron faces in the east. “For over two decades, he was considered Mamata Banerjee’s most powerful grassroots lieutenant and a key figure in the Nandigram movement, which helped end 34 years of Left rule and brought the TMC to power. He now leads the party that has ended the TMC’s 15-year reign,” says an observer. Mr Adhikari, who contributed to the rise of the Trinamul Congress, left the party in December 2020, primarily due to a perceived loss of influence and a subsequent fallout with its leadership. Though the TMCclaimed that he joined the BJP out of “fear”, sources say his departure was driven by several factors. but the main “breaking point” was the rise of Abhishek Banerjee, Mamata Banerjee’s nephew, as the party’s de facto second-incommand. Mr Adhikari was also said to be unhappy with the growing influence of election strategist Prashant Kishor and his firm, I-PAC, which increasingly handled the party’s organisational and decision-making processes. Political observers say that TMC’s allegations on the reasons behind his joining the BJP does not take away his political journey and his role as a grassroot politician. As the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly after the 2021 Assembly elections, he spearheaded the BJP’s offensives against the ruling TMC, consistently targeting the TMC-led government, establishing himself as lead challenger to Mamata Banerjee. On the personal front, Mr Adhikari has chosen to remain unmarried, citing the influence of Indian freedom fighters on his life. His father, Sisir Adhikari, was a Union Minister, and his brothers are also active in state and national politics. Mr Adhikari, whose political career began with the Congress in 1995 as a municipal councillor, is known for his aggressive campaigning style. PM Modi on BJP's 'historic' election win in West Bengal STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 8 May Congratulating Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the BJP's massive victory in the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly elections, US President Donald Trump has termed the result of the polls as “historic” and “decisive”. The US President stated that India is lucky to have PM Modi as its leader. Mr Trump’s renewed vote of confidence was underscored by White House spokesman Kush Desai and subsequently reinforced in a statement by the US Embassy in India. In a post shared on X, the embassy quoted Desai highlighting the President's admiration expressed during a recent conversation. “Just last month on their phone call, President Trump expressed to Prime Minister Modi his admiration and how lucky India is to have him as its leader. The President congratulates Prime Minister Modi on this recent, historic, and decisive election victory,” Desai stated. This high-level praise from the White House follows a seismic shift in Indian politics, as the BJP secured control of West Bengal for the first time. The BJP’s victory effectively ended the 15-year tenure of former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, fundamentally altering the political landscape of eastern India and reflecting a significant strengthening of the rapport between the two leaders. TVK bags VCK, CPI, CPI(M) and IUML support, stakes claim to form Tamil Nadu government STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Chennai, 8 May Putting an end to the uncertainty engulfing Tamil Nadu politics since the results of the Assembly elections were announced, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, the CPI-M and the CPI, along with the IUML on Friday pledged support to the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) of actor-turnedpolitician Vijay, providing him more than the numbers required for a majority in the Tamil Nadu Assembly. Vijay has had the last laugh and is expected to be sworn in on Saturday morning. Governor Vishwanath Rajendra Arlekar had earlier rebuffed the TVK staking its claim to form the government on the ground that proof of majority support was essential for forming a stable government. The Lok Bhavan’s stance has invited sharp criticism from political parties and legal luminaries. Vijay on Friday met the Governor at the Lok Bhavan and staked his claim, armed with the letters of support. The Congress, which fought the elections as part of the DMK alliance and returned five MLAs, has already extended its support. The development comes amid intense speculation that the DMK and the AIADMK, both defeated at the hustings, were engaged in talks to deny Vijay a shot at power. There was jubilation at the TVK headquarters at suburban Panaiyur and across the state with enthusiastic supporters dancing to the beating of drums and distributing sweets to celebrate the party crossing the hurdle, paving the way for Vijay taking the oath. The Assembly election resulted in a hung assembly with the TVK emerging as the single largest party with 108 seats. In the 234-member House, 118 is required for a majority. The Congress, which fought the election in the DMK-led alliance, was the first to switch over to the TVK a day after the results were declared on 4 May. The four parties that have extended support ~ VCK, CPI, CPI-M and IUML ~ each has two members, enabling the TVK to cross the half-way mark. The VCK which has decided to offer its support is expected to furnish the letter later, a party source confided. Pledging unconditional support to the TVK, both the Left parties made it clear that they would not join the government and their decision was to prevent the BJP from entering the government through backdoor attempts like imposing President’s rule. It remains to be seen whether the VCK joins the Cabinet since Vijay has reportedly requested VCK leader Thirumavalavan to join his Cabinet. It is said that Thirumavalavan might resign his MP post and join the ministry as the Deputy CM. Returning from the Lok Bhavan after staking claim, Vijay visited the offices of the CPI and CPI-M to personally thank the parties. At the CPI office, he paid floral tributes to late CPI veteran R Nallakannu. Later, he is slated to visit the IUML and VCK leadership as well. Earlier, in the evening, DMK president MK Stalin urged the Governor to take the necessary steps without any further delay to ensure a government was put in place. With the previous Assembly having been dissolved and the newly elected members waiting to be sworn in, it is necessary that the state has a government, he said in a social media post.