Suvendu Adhikari Sworn in as West Bengal's First BJP Chief Minister

Before the swearing-in ceremony of Suvendu Adhikari, the first Chief Minister from West Bengal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to senior BJP member Makhanlal Sarkar on Friday. This heartfelt gesture drew significant attention as the Prime Minister touched his feet, presented him with a shawl, and engaged in a warm conversation on stage. This moment was a celebration of the BJP's historic victory in West Bengal, marking the party's first time in power in the state.

Makhanlal Sarkar is recognized as one of the senior-most BJP leaders in West Bengal, with deep ties to the nationalist movement in post-independence India. He was arrested in 1952 during the movement to hoist the Indian national flag alongside Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, the founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, in Kashmir. At 98 years old, Sarkar remains a revered grassroots leader among BJP workers and the nationalist movement in West Bengal. Modi's meeting with this veteran leader is viewed as a symbolic tribute to the party's ideological roots and to the activists who played a crucial role in shaping the nationalist movement in the country.

History was made on Saturday at the Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata, where Suvendu Adhikari took the oath of office as the Chief Minister of West Bengal. He became the first leader to assume this role following the BJP's remarkable victory in the assembly elections. The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Chief Ministers from 20 NDA-ruled states.