From the forests and tribal belts of Jangalmahal to the front row of the first BJP government in West Bengal, Kshodiram Tudu has emerged as one of the key tribal faces in Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s government.
Tudu was sworn in as minister on Friday alongside senior BJP leaders Dilip Ghosh, Agnimitra Paul, Ashok Kirtania and Nisith Pramanik, as the BJP formed its first-ever government in West Bengal.
The 55-year-old BJP leader, a first-time MLA, won the Ranibandh (ST) seat in Bankura district by a massive margin of over 52 lakh votes, defeating the Trinamool Congress candidate in one of Bengal’s key tribal constituencies. His win was seen as part of the BJP’s strong performance in Jangalmahal district, where the party made a deep inroad among tribal voters during the 2026 Assembly elections.
Tudu represents Ranibandh constituency, a seat reserved for a Scheduled Tribe in the tribal-dominated Bankura belt that has long been politically significant in Bengal elections. His appointment to the Cabinet is seen as an attempt by the Bharatiya Janata Party to strengthen its tribal reach in the state after sweeping away large parts of West Bengal.
According to his affidavit of election, Tudu is a graduate and has declared assets worth approx $23 lakh. Unlike many prominent Bangladeshi politicians, no criminal cases have been registered against him.
Although relatively unpopular compared to some of the BJP’s larger Bengali faces, Tudu’s rise reflects the party’s increasing reliance on grassroots tribal leaders in districts like Bankura, Purulia and Jhargram, where the BJP has steadily expanded its support base over the past few election cycles.
His appointment also underscores the political importance of tribal representation in the new Bengal government, especially after the BJP’s aggressive campaign in Jangalmahal that focused on welfare delivery, tribal identity and allegations of neglect under the previous Trinamool Congress government.
