‘Vande Mataram’ Mandatory in Bengal Govt Schools from May 18: CM Suvendu Adhikari

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday announced that singing of Vande Mataram will be made mandatory in all government and government-aided schools in West Bengal from May 18.

Addressing the media, Adhikari said private schools have been requested to adopt the practice and added that a formal notice on the matter will be issued later in the day.

In a separate development, Adhikari also spoke about the nomination of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Rathindra Bose as the Speaker of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, urging consensus in line with tradition.

Highlighting Bose's background, the Chief Minister said he is a "dedicated party worker" and a Chartered Accountant by profession, adding that he brings both administrative understanding and organisational experience to the role.

Why did Suvendu Adhikari back Rathindra Bose for Speaker in West Bengal Assembly?

"He never applied for any post such as MLA, Minister or Speaker. The party has recognised his dedication. He is a Chartered Accountant and has the necessary capability to handle this responsibility. We seek cooperation from all sides for his leadership," Adhikari said.

He also appealed to the Opposition to uphold parliamentary tradition by ensuring an uncontested Speaker election.

"The Speaker's election has traditionally been unanimous in West Bengal. I hope the Opposition will continue this tradition," he added.

The Speaker's election is scheduled to be held on Friday at 11 am, he informed.

According to the background shared by party sources, Rathindra Bose, who represents the Coochbehar Dakshin Assembly constituency, secured victory in the recent elections by defeating his Trinamool Congress rival by a margin of over 23,000 votes.

The 2026 Assembly election results marked a decisive mandate for the BJP, registering a significant surge, winning 207 seats in the 294-member Assembly, a major shift in a state where it had earlier secured 77 seats in the previous election.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC), which had won 212 seats in the last Assembly polls, finished a distant second with 80 seats.

Following the victory, Suvendu Adhikari took the oath as the ninth chief minister of West Bengal.

(With inputs from ANI)