BJP Begins a New Political Era in West Bengal
West Bengal has entered a new political phase with the beginning of the Suvendu Adhikari government. For the first time in the state’s history, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has come to power in Bengal.
In a grand ceremony held at Kolkata’s historic Brigade Parade Ground, Suvendu Adhikari took oath as the ninth Chief Minister of West Bengal. Along with him, five newly elected MLAs were sworn in as ministers in the new cabinet.
The composition of the cabinet has drawn significant attention as it includes leaders representing OBC, Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and regional communities, reflecting BJP’s broader social outreach strategy in Bengal.
Here is a closer look at the five ministers who joined Suvendu Adhikari’s cabinet.
Dilip Ghosh: RSS Pracharak Turned Bengal BJP Strongman
Senior BJP leader Dilip Ghosh, 61, took oath as a minister in the new Bengal government. Born on August 1, 1964, Ghosh holds an ITI diploma and is considered one of the key architects of BJP’s rise in West Bengal.
Before entering active politics, he was associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and worked in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands for the organisation between 1999 and 2007.
Ghosh served as the Member of Parliament from Medinipur Lok Sabha constituency from 2019 to June 2024. During his parliamentary tenure, he was part of several important committees, including the Standing Committee on Home Affairs, the Committee of Privileges and the Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
He also served as BJP’s West Bengal state president from 2020 to 2023 and earlier worked as the party’s state general secretary.
Agnimitra Paul: Fashion Designer to Cabinet Minister
Agnimitra Paul, one of BJP’s prominent women leaders in Bengal, also joined the cabinet. Born on November 25, 1974, she was a well-known fashion designer in Kolkata before entering politics.
Paul holds an MBA degree along with a diploma in fashion technology. She joined the BJP on March 23, 2019, and quickly emerged as a strong political face of the party.
She represents the Asansol South Assembly constituency and first came into prominence after defeating TMC candidate Sayoni Ghosh in the 2021 Assembly elections. She retained her seat again in the 2026 elections.
Apart from electoral politics, she also served as the president of the BJP Mahila Morcha in West Bengal and later became the party’s state general secretary and vice-president.
Paul had also contested the 2022 Asansol Lok Sabha bypoll against actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha and later fought the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Medinipur.
Ashok Kirtania: BJP’s SC Face from Bangaon North
Ashok Kirtania, MLA from the SC-reserved Bangaon North constituency, has also been inducted into the cabinet.
He was first elected to the West Bengal Assembly in 2021 after defeating TMC candidate Shyamal Roy. In the 2026 Assembly elections, he retained the seat with a strong mandate, securing over 1.19 lakh votes.
The 52-year-old leader is a graduate and works as a businessman besides being active in politics. BJP leaders see him as an important Scheduled Caste representative in the party’s Bengal expansion strategy.
Khudiram Tudu: Tribal Leader from Junglemahal Region
Khudiram Tudu, MLA from the Ranibandh ST constituency, has emerged as one of the prominent tribal faces in the new BJP government.
A senior BJP leader from the Santhal tribal community, Tudu defeated TMC candidate Tanushree Hansda by more than 52,000 votes in the Assembly elections.
Political observers believe his inclusion in the cabinet reflects BJP’s focus on strengthening its tribal support base in the Junglemahal region and western Bengal.
Tudu is considered a grassroots leader with a clean image and has no criminal cases against him.
Nisith Pramanik: Young BJP Leader from North Bengal
Thirty-five-year-old Nisith Pramanik is regarded as one of BJP’s strongest leaders in North Bengal. Belonging to the Rajbanshi community, he has played a major role in strengthening the party in the northern districts.
Pramanik earlier served as Minister of State in the Union government between 2021 and 2024. He handled responsibilities in the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, making him one of the youngest ministers in the Modi government.
He had also served as MP from the Cooch Behar Lok Sabha constituency and was elected as MLA from Dinhata in the 2021 Assembly elections.
Originally associated with the Trinamool Congress, Pramanik joined the BJP in 2019. In the 2026 Assembly elections, he registered a massive victory from the Mathabhanga constituency, defeating the TMC candidate by over 57,000 votes.
Cabinet Reflects BJP’s Social and Regional Balancing
The first cabinet of Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari reflects BJP’s attempt to balance caste, tribal, regional and organisational representation in West Bengal.
With experienced leaders like Dilip Ghosh, emerging faces like Agnimitra Paul, tribal representation through Khudiram Tudu, SC leadership through Ashok Kirtania and North Bengal influence through Nisith Pramanik, the BJP appears focused on building a broad political coalition in the state as it begins its first term in power in Bengal.