The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced Suvendu Adhikari as the next Chief Minister of West Bengal on Friday, May 8. The announcement came after the BJP’s historic victory in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections.
Senior BJP leader and former state president Dilip Ghosh proposed Adhikari’s name during the legislature party meeting. Later, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who attended the meeting as the central observer, officially announced Adhikari as Bengal’s next Chief Minister.
“I announce the name of Suvendu Adhikari as the elected leader of the West Bengal BJP Legislative Party,” the Home Minister said during the legislature party meeting.
Who is Suvendu Adhikari, the next West Bengal CM?
Suvendu Adhikari was born on December 15, 1970, to Sisir Adhikari and Gayatri Adhikari in Karkuli, located in West Bengal’s Purba Medinipur district.
His father, Sisir Adhikari, is also a politician and served as a minister in the second government led by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Adhikari earned a Master of Arts degree from Rabindra Bharati University in 2011.
He previously served as the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly and as the president of the West Bengal unit of the BJP until May 5, 2026.
Before joining the BJP, Adhikari was a key member of the All India Trinamool Congress from 1998 to 2020. He also served as a state minister in the West Bengal government from 2016 to 2020.
He has been elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from the Nandigram constituency three times — in 2016, 2021, and 2026. This time, he contested from two constituencies and defeated Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur by more than 15,000 votes in May 2026.
Earlier, he was elected from South Contai (now known as Kanthi Dakshin) in 2005 and served as a Member of Parliament from Tamluk in 2009 and 2014.
He was also associated with the Indian National Congress from 1995 to 1998.
Also Read: Who Will Be West Bengal CM? BJP Picks Suvendu Adhikari To Replace Mamata Banerjee
Who is Suvendu Adhikari’s wife?
The 55-year-old Suvendu Adhikari is unmarried.
Why did Suvendu Adhikari not marry?
In an interview with India TV in 2021, Adhikari said that his decision to remain unmarried was personal. He explained that he entered student politics in 1987 and has since dedicated his life to public service and politics.
“I am unmarried, and the best part about celibacy is that I have a lot of time for work and no personal obligations,” Adhikari said in the interview.
He added that he drew inspiration from freedom fighters such as Satish Samanta, Sushil Dhara, and Ajoy Mukherjee, all of whom remained unmarried while dedicating their lives to public service.
Who was Suvendu Adhikari’s PA?
Suvendu Adhikari’s personal assistant, Chandranath Rath, was a former Indian Air Force officer. He had been associated with Adhikari since 2019, when Adhikari served as a minister in the West Bengal government. Rath was considered Adhikari’s key troubleshooter and handled several sensitive assignments during election campaigns.
Originally from Chandipur in Purba Medinipur district, Rath remained part of Adhikari’s core team even after the latter joined the BJP in 2020. He reportedly played an important role in Adhikari’s political campaigns, including the victory against Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur.
On Wednesday, May 6, Rath was reportedly shot dead in what investigators described as a pre-planned ambush in Madhyamgram
on the outskirts of Kolkata.
What is Suvendu Adhikari’s net worth?
According to his 2026 election affidavit, Suvendu Adhikari has a total declared net worth of approximately ₹85.87 lakh, with zero liabilities.
The BJP leader declared ₹24.57 lakh in movable assets, including ₹12,000 in cash, and ₹61.30 lakh in immovable assets.
According to the affidavit, he does not own a car, any personal vehicle, or gold jewellery.
