West Bengal Next CM: After BJP’s Massive Victory, Who Will Lead Bengal?
West Bengal next CM: Suvendu Adhikari, the opposition leader in West Bengal's assembly, defeated Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur on Monday.
Following the BJP's major victory in the assembly elections, party members said he is now their main candidate for chief minister.
West Bengal Next CM: BJP First Time Feat In West Bengal Assembly Elections 2026
On Monday BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) experienced victory for the first time in the West Bengal assembly elections. It secured 206 out of 293 seats, whereas Bannerjee's Trinamool Congress stood at 81 seats.
BJP leaders also mentioned that state unit chief Samik Bhattacharya and vice-president Agnimitra Paul could be considered for the chief minister's post. Paul won the Asansol Dakshin seat on Monday.
West Bengal next CM: A senior BA senior BJP official said Adhikari could become chief minister after defeating Mamata Banerjee for the second time, this time by 15,105 votes in Bhabanipur.
He had previously beaten Banerjee in Nandigram by 1,956 votes in the 2021 elections. "He has maintained his stance against Mamata since leaving the TMC in 2020," said a senior Bengal BJP leader who did not want to be named.
The leader also said the TMC government had filed about 300 cases against Adhikari.
On February 2, Adhikari filed his nomination papers from Bhabanipur. Union Home Minister Amit Shah was with him, showing support from the party’s top leaders.
West Bengal Election Results 2026: Mamata Banerjee will lose Bengal, including Bhabanipur, says Amit Shah
According to Shah, Mamata did experience victory in the last election, but got defeated by Suvendy Adhikari. This year, she will lose across Bengal, including Bhabanipur.
Another senior BJP leader noted that the party did not field a candidate in two recent assembly seats. “For Adhikari, this was a test of his charisma and capability as leader of the opposition,” the leader said, choosing to remain unnamed.
In Bhabanipur, Adhikari received 73,917 votes, while Mamata Banerjee got 58,812. Adhikari also won the Nandigram seat against TMC’s Pabitra Kar by 9,665 votes.
“This is a historic victory… a victory for Bengal and Modiji,” Adhikari told reporters as he held his winning certificate outside the Sakhawat Memorial School counting centre in Kolkata.
West Bengal next CM: BJP members said Agnimitra Paul and Samik Bhattacharya are still being considered for chief minister.
Paul would be a strong choice if the party wants a woman CM, since she served as a Lok Sabha MP from 2019 to 2024.
Bhattacharya, now in the Rajya Sabha, is seen as a key leader in the party’s efforts to win its first assembly seat in Bengal.
Bengal first BJP Chief Minister: CM Decision Yet to Be Scheduled
The BJP is expected to gather all newly elected legislators in Kolkata soon. However, party leaders said the date for the meeting to choose the chief minister has not been set yet.
“We expect the party to name an observer for the legislative meeting in the next few days. Once that happens, the process to form the BJP government will begin,” a BJP leader said.
Adhikari Leaves TMC for BJP; Shah Welcomes Move
West Bengal election latest update: Adhikari held several positions in Mamata Banerjee’s cabinet before switching from TMC to BJP in December 2020. Shah welcomed him at a rally.
BJP leaders said Adhikari led a high-profile campaign across the state over the past two months.
One BJP leader said Adhikari shaped the party’s 2025 campaign by saying the BJP should focus on Bengal’s 70.54% Hindu voters and not address the 27% Muslim population.
Muslims are a major voting group in 120 of Bengal’s 294 seats. In 2021, the BJP clinched only 77 of these. The political party fielded nine Muslim candidates, but none were elected.
“In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, we secured 38% votes. These are Hindu votes.
Assembly Elections 2026: BJP Gains Muslim - Dominated Seats
During a rally in East Midnapore in January 2025, a BJP leader stated that, with the support of 10% of Hindu votes, they will remove the Mamata Banerjee regime next year.
On Monday, the BJP won by a large margin in many seats with high Muslim populations, including Malda, Murshidabad, Howrah, Kolkata, and Birbhum.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about this topic
The strongest contender right now is Suvendu Adhikari. He led the BJP’s campaign aggressively and is seen as the face of the party’s rise in Bengal.
No. The Bharatiya Janata Party has not declared any CM face yet. The final decision will be taken by the central leadership after internal discussions.
Apart from Suvendu Adhikari, key names include Dilip Ghosh, Agnimitra Paul, Swapan Dasgupta. These leaders bring different strengths—organizational, urban appeal, or intellectual backing.
Yes, very possible. BJP has a pattern of picking surprise candidates in states, so even a lesser-known or consensus leader could emerge.
The decision is expected soon after high-level meetings in Delhi, involving leaders like Narendra Modi and Amit Shah.
