The newly elected leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will take oath to form the new government in West Bengal on May 9, coinciding with the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore, as party leader Suvendu Adhikari, who defeated Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur, remains one of the front-runners for the post of chief minister.
Adhikari defeated Banerjee in Bhabanipur by more than 15,105 votes in the West Bengal state elections, the results of which were announced on Monday.
“The Prime Minister has already announced the day, Posheshi Puisak, May 9. It is Rabindranath Tagore’s birthday. He will be held on that day,” said Samik Bhattacharya, state BJP president.
While addressing a rally in Barrackpore in April, Prime Minister Modi said he would return to Kolkata to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the new government.
On Monday, the Bharatiya Janata Party swept the state assembly elections, winning 206 seats. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) won by 81 votes.
West Bengal’s chief electoral officer is likely to brief Governor RN Ravi on May 6.
Banerjee Adhikari fought in Nandigram in the 2021 state elections which she lost by 1,956 votes. She later won the by-election in Bhabanipur months later to continue as chief minister.
The TMC won 213 seats against the BJP’s 77 seats.
Ballots went to 152 seats on April 23 in the first phase, while elections were held for 142 seats on April 29.
The TMC, which came to power in 2011 and ousted the 34-year-old Left Front regime, has been claimed by the BJP to have eliminated the TMC this time.
