SUVENDU ADHIKARI'S BIG DECISION: WILL RETAIN BHAWANIPUR SEAT, WILL RESIGN FROM NANDIGRAM

New Delhi, May 13, 2026 : West Bengal's new and ninth Chief Minister, Suvendu Adhikari, took oath in the Assembly from the Bhawanipur Assembly constituency in South Kolkata on Wednesday afternoon. By taking oath as MLA from Bhawanipur, Adhikari made it clear that he will resign from the Nandigram Assembly constituency in East Midnapore district. He was elected MLA from Bhawanipur as well as Nandigram in the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly elections.

In Bhawanipur, Suvendu Adhikari defeated the Trinamool Congress candidate and then-Chief Minister by a margin of over 15,000 votes. In Nandigram, Adhikari defeated Pabitra Kar of the Trinamool Congress by over 9,000 votes. This was the second time Adhikari defeated Mamata Banerjee. In 2021, Adhikari was elected from Nandigram, defeating Mamata Banerjee by a margin of about 2,000 votes.

Subsequently, in 2021, Mamata Banerjee won the Bhawanipur by-election, becoming Chief Minister for the third consecutive term. In 2026, not only did her party, the Trinamool Congress, face defeat, but she also suffered personal defeat. Like Suvendu Adhikari, Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) founder Humayun Kabir was also elected from two assembly constituencies: Naoda and Rejinagar, both minority-dominated areas in Murshidabad district. However, it is not yet clear which seat he will retain and which he will vacate.

On Wednesday, Suvendu Adhikari arrived at the Assembly premises and entered the House by bowing and touching the steps. He was welcomed by Tapas Roy, the acting Speaker and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from the Maniktala assembly constituency in North Kolkata.

During this, the new Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari was given a guard of honour in the Assembly premises. After this, Suvendu Adhikari garlanded the statue of B.R. Ambedkar inside the Assembly premises and offered flowers. After this, he went to the room allotted to him as the Leader of the House and Chief Minister inside the Assembly premises and offered prayers before the idols of gods and goddesses there. Later, he went inside the House and took oath as MLA from Bhawanipur. The swearing-in ceremony of the elected MLAs started on Wednesday and will continue on Thursday as well.