Gujarat CM Meets Suvendu Adhikari, Extends Greetings (Lead)​

(MENAFN- IANS) Kolkata, May 9 (IANS) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Saturday attended the swearing-in ceremony of West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari in Kolkata, marking a gathering of senior national and state-level political leaders.​

The ceremony saw Adhikari take the oath as Chief Minister of West Bengal along with members of his council of ministers.​

According to officials, the event was organised at the historic Brigade Parade Ground, a large public venue in central Kolkata that has hosted several major political and national occasions.​

Patel met Suvendu Adhikari following the oath-taking ceremony and presented him with a bouquet, extending congratulations and good wishes on assuming office.​

On the occasion, Patel said: "Under the leadership and guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled states have been focusing on development, good governance and public welfare."​

He expressed confidence that West Bengal would progress on similar lines under the new administration.​

The swearing-in ceremony was attended by a large contingent of political leaders and dignitaries.​

Prime Minister Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were present on stage, along with BJP national president Nitin Nabin and chief ministers from several NDA-ruled states, as part of the formal proceedings marking the formation of the new state government.​

Adhikari, a former Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader who later joined the BJP, emerged as a central figure in this year's West Bengal Assembly elections.​

According to election reports, he contested from key constituencies including Nandigram and Bhabanipur, and secured victories in both seats, including a notable win over outgoing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur by a margin of over 15,000 votes.​

His campaign was positioned as a major contest between the BJP and the incumbent TMC leadership, with his candidacy seen as strategically significant for the party in the state.​

On Friday, Adhikari was elected as the leader of the BJP Legislative Party in West Bengal ahead of the formation of the new government following the election results.​

His political journey in the state elections has been closely linked to his earlier tenure in the TMC, where he held organisational and ministerial responsibilities before joining the BJP in 2020. This move significantly altered the state's political landscape.​

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