Watch | PM Modi, Adhikari pay tribute to Tagore at Brigade Parade Ground ahead of Bengal CM swearing-in
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday paid tribute to Rabindranath Tagore on his 165th birth anniversary, joining Suvendu Adhikari at Kolkata’s Brigade Parade Ground just hours before the swearing-in of West Bengal’s first BJP government.
The tribute, set against one of the city’s most recognisable venues, folded symbolism into politics—Tagore’s legacy invoked as the state stands on the cusp of a leadership shift.
Earlier in the day, Modi arrived at the venue and acknowledged the gathering crowds, waving to supporters as preparations for the oath ceremony gathered pace.
Leaders converge in Kolkata as Suvendu Adhikari set to take oath as Bengal’s first BJP CM
Adhikari, elected leader of the BJP Legislative Party in West Bengal, is scheduled to take oath later on Saturday as the state’s first BJP chief minister, marking a decisive turn in its political trajectory.
A day earlier, BJP leaders extended their wishes to Adhikari following his formal selection as legislature party leader after the party’s sweeping victory in the 2026 Assembly elections.
Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar expressed confidence in the road ahead. “I am very happy. Under the leadership of Suvendu da, we will turn Bengal into ‘Sonar Bangla’. This achievement is the result of everyone’s contribution,” he said.
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BJP leader Agnimitra Paul described Adhikari as the party’s most fitting choice, pointing to his sustained political push over the past five years. “We are extremely happy that Suvendu Adhikari has been unanimously elected by 207 BJP MLAs. He is the most suitable choice because of the way he has fought for the last five years, both inside and outside the Assembly. Who could be a better choice than Suvendu Adhikari? All 207 MLAs have to work round the clock. There is no time to relax. In the next five years, we must deliver what West Bengal did not receive in the last 50 years,” she said.
The scale of the mandate underscores the transition. The Bharatiya Janata Party secured 207 seats in the 2026 Assembly elections, while the All India Trinamool Congress was reduced to 80 after 15 years in power.
(With inputs from ANI)