From Mamata’s man to BJP architect in Bengal: The rise of Suvendu Adhikari

Suvendu Adhikari is set to make history.

Adhikari will become the BJP’s first Chief Minister in the state of West Bengal. Adhikari, a protégé turned bete noire of Mamata Banerjee, joined the BJP in December 2020. He has since steadily risen in the ranks of the BJP and now finds himself set to occupy the most powerful seat in West Bengal.

Let’s take a closer look at Adhikari’s road to becoming Bengal’s first BJP CM.

Early years and political beginnings

As per News18, Suvendu’s family hails from West Bengal’s Medinipur region. His father, ex-TMC MP Sisir Adhikari, and brothers Dibyendu and Soumendu have long been political heavyweights in Purba Medinipur and nearby districts. Adhikari began his political career in the Congress’ student wing, known as the Chhatra Parishad. In 1995, he served as the Congress’ councillor in the Kanthi municipality.

More from Explainers

Why Mamata lost Bhabanipur prestige battle to BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari

Bengal and Tamil Nadu voted for change, but why are there no new governments yet?

Adhikari’s organisational and leadership skills did not go unnoticed. In 1998, Mamata, a Youth Congress worker herself at one point, broke away to form the TMC. Two years later, Adhikari, his father and brothers joined the Trinamool Congress. As per Indian Express, this gave the TMC a political base in Purba Medinipur. The Adhikaris’ clout and political influence immediately put them on equal footing to challenge the CPI(M).

BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari with Home Minister Amit Shah in Kolkata on Friday. ANI

In 2007, Mamata began the famed Nandigram agitation under the CPI(M) government, which would eventually help her rise to power and end the Left Front’s decades-long rule in Bengal. This came only a year after the Singur protests against land acquisition for the Tata Nano project. It was Adhikari who organised the TMC cadre on behalf of Mamata and the party. All this was made even more impressive by the fact that Adhikari, at the time, was a first-term MLA. By then, he had been elected to the West Bengal Assembly from the Kanthi Dakshin seat.

As per News18, Adhikari’s efforts elevated his profile and made him one of the few men Mamata could rely upon. Adhikari also began spreading the TMC’s sphere of influence beyond Purba Medinipur to Paschim Medinipur, Purulia and Bankura districts. The party, on the shoulders of Adhikari, would gain popularity in Paschim Medinipur, Bankura, Purulia, Malda and Murshidabad.

In 2009, Adhikari was elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time. This came after he defeated Lakshman Seth, an old rival, from the Tamluk seat. In 2014, even as the NDA wave swept across India and brought Prime Minister Narendra Modi to power for the first time, Adhikari managed to hold on to his seat. However, Adhikari ultimately resigned his seat to become a minister in the Mamata government. In the 2016 Assembly polls, Adhikari defeated Abdul Kadir Sheikh in Nandigram.

Leaving TMC, rise in BJP

However, Adhikari fell out with Mamata after she decided to elevate her nephew Abhishek. In December 2020, Adhikari resigned as the Transport Minister of Bengal. “I am writing to tender my resignation as a member of the All India Trinamool Congress as well as other positions held by me in the party and its associate organs with immediate effect,” Adhikari wrote in a letter to Mamata. The fact that one of the TMC’s tallest leaders had left the party sent shockwaves through Bengal.

As per Indian Express, Adhikari vowed to “tolabaj bhaipo hatao [kick out the extortionist nephew]” at rallies. This, in turn, caused Mamata to dub the Adhikaris “Mir Jafars [traitors]”. Mamata also said she was a “boro gadha” [big donkey] for not seeing their “true face”.

Adhikari then became the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly. During this time, he sought to target ‘infiltrators’ in the state, particularly Bangladeshis and the Rohingya, as per Economic Times. He also went after the Mamata government on several issues, including immigration, corruption, women’s safety and economic development.

BJP's Suvendu Adhikari during a campaign amid the West Bengal Assembly elections, in Kolkata. File image/PTI

However, his greatest feat was yet to come. That same year, Adhikari took on Mamata in a head-to-head contest in the Nandigram seat and won by around 2,000 votes. The move, which further catapulted him into the national spotlight, forced Mamata to win the Bhabanipur seat in order to retain her position as Chief Minister. It was the first psychological blow to Mamata and the TMC – and it would not be the last. Meanwhile, the party’s grip on Purba Medinipur had also weakened in the wake of Adhikari’s exit.

In 2026, Adhikari and Mamata had their much-anticipated rematch, this time from the Bhabanipur seat. According to reports, it was Adhikari who pushed for the one-on-one battle from Bhabanipur against Mamata. This time, the result was even more in Adhikari’s favour, as he netted 73,463 votes compared to 58,349 votes for Mamata.

This dealt Mamata and the TMC, who were already reeling from their heavy defeat in the state, another body blow. After all, Bhabanipur had been a Trinamool Congress seat since 2011 and was considered her home bastion in south Kolkata. The constituency includes Kalighat, where she resides, and where she first developed her political base as a Youth Congress leader. Now, it remains to be seen how Adhikari deals with the many challenges facing West Bengal.

FAQs

1. Who is Suvendu Adhikari?

Suvendu Adhikari is a senior Indian politician who rose through the Trinamool Congress before joining the BJP in 2020 and becoming one of its key leaders in West Bengal.

2. Why is Suvendu Adhikari significant in West Bengal politics?

He played a major role in the Nandigram movement and later defeated Mamata Banerjee in a high-profile election, significantly boosting his political stature.

3. When did Suvendu Adhikari join the BJP?

He joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in December 2020 after resigning from the Trinamool Congress.

With inputs from agencies