Suvendu Adhikari

Suvendu Adhikari (Śubhēndu Adhikārī, Bengali pronunciation: [ʃubʱend̪u od̪ʱikaɾi]; born 15 December 1970) is an Indian politician who is serving as the ninth Chief Minister of West Bengal since 9 May 2026. He is the first Chief Minister of West Bengal belonging to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He also served as leader of the Opposition from 2021 to 2026. Adhikari previously worked in the state ministry for the West Bengal government from 2016 to 2020. He was elected Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Nandigram in 2016, 2021 and 2026, and simultaneously from Bhabanipur in 2026. Previously he was elected from Kanthi Dakshin in 2005, and Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamluk in 2009, and 2014. He previously served as the Minister of Transport from 2016 to 2020, Irrigation and Water resource from 2018 to 2020 in the Government of West Bengal. He was also a member of Lok Sabha from Tamluk from 2009 to 2016 and the chairperson of Jute Corporation of India from 2020 to 2021. He was a member of the Trinamool Congress from 1998 to 2020 and Indian National Congress from 1995 to 1998. He is the son of Sisir Adhikari, Member of Parliament and former Union Minister of State for Rural Development in the Manmohan Singh government.

Infobox

Governor

Jagdeep Dhankhar La. Ganesan (additional charge) C. V. Ananda Bose R. N. Ravi

Preceded by

Lakshman Chandra Seth

Constituency

Tamluk, West Bengal

Succeeded by

Dibyendu Adhikari

Deputy

Mihir Goswami

Union Textiles Minister

Smriti Irani

Chief Minister

Mamata Banerjee

Departments

Irrigation and Waterways Transport Environment

Member of

Standing Committee on Industry (2009-2014) Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice (2014-2016) Consultative Committee, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (2014-2016)

Born

(1970-12-15) 15 December 1970 Contai, West Bengal, India

Party

Bharatiya Janata Party (since 2020)

Other political affiliations

All India Trinamool Congress (2000–2020) Indian National Congress (1995–2000)

Parents

Sisir Adhikari (father) Gayatri Adhikari (mother)

Relatives

Dibyendu Adhikari (brother) Soumendu Adhikari (brother)

Alma mater

Rabindra Bharati University (M )

Occupation

Politician businessman social worker

Tables

West Bengal Legislative Assembly · Electoral history › Legislative Assembly

2001

Year

2001

Constituency

Mugberia

Party

AITC

Votes

59,724

46 %

Opponent

Kiran Moy Nanda

Opponent Party

WBSP

Opponent Votes

64,415

50 %

Margin

−4,691

2006

Year

2006

Constituency

Kanthi Dakshin

Party

68,608

Party

50 %

Votes

Satyendra Nath Panda

Opponent

CPI

Opponent Party

60,028

Opponent Party

38 %

Opponent Votes

8,580

6 %

Margin

Won

2016

Year

2016

Constituency

Nandigram

Party

1,34,623

Party

67 %

Votes

Abdul Kabir Sekh

53,393

Opponent

26 %

Opponent Party

81,230

Opponent Party

40 %

Opponent Votes

Won

2021

Year

2021

Party

BJP

Party

1,10,764

Votes

48 %

Mamata Banerjee

Opponent Party

AITC

Opponent Party

1,08,808

Opponent Votes

47 %

1,956

Margin

0 %

2026

Year

2026

Constituency

1,27,301

Party

50 %

Party

Pabitra Kar

Votes

1,17,636

46 %

Opponent

9,665

Opponent Party

3 %

Opponent Party

Won

Bhabanipur

Year

Bhabanipur

Constituency

73,917

Party

53 %

Party

Mamata Banerjee

Votes

58,812

42 %

Opponent

15,105

Opponent Party

10 %

Opponent Party

Won

Year	Constituency	Party		Votes	%	Opponent	Opponent Party		Opponent Votes	%	Margin	in %	Result
2001	Mugberia		AITC	59,724	46 %	Kiran Moy Nanda		WBSP	64,415	50 %	−4,691
2006	Kanthi Dakshin			68,608	50 %	Satyendra Nath Panda		CPI	60,028	38 %	8,580	6 %	Won
2016	Nandigram			1,34,623	67 %	Abdul Kabir Sekh		CPI	53,393	26 %	81,230	40 %	Won
2021			BJP	1,10,764	48 %	Mamata Banerjee		AITC	1,08,808	47 %	1,956	0 %
2026				1,27,301	50 %	Pabitra Kar			1,17,636	46 %	9,665	3 %	Won
2026	Bhabanipur			73,917	53 %	Mamata Banerjee			58,812	42 %	15,105	10 %	Won

Lok Sabha · Electoral history › Lok Sabha

2004

Year

2004

Constituency

Tamluk

Party

AITC

Votes

4,49,848

43 %

Opponent

Lakshman Chandra Seth

Opponent Party

CPI(M)

Opponent Votes

5,07,228

49 %

Margin

−57,380

2009

Year

2009

Constituency

6,37,664

Party

55 %

Party

4,64,706

Votes

40 %

1,72,958

Opponent

15 %

Opponent Party

Won

2014

Year

2014

Constituency

7,16,928

Party

53 %

Party

Sheikh Ibrahim Ali

Votes

4,70,447

35 %

Opponent

2,46,481

Opponent Party

18 %

Opponent Party

Won

Year	Constituency	Party		Votes	%	Opponent	Opponent Party		Opponent Votes	%	Margin	Margin in %	Result
2004	Tamluk		AITC	4,49,848	43 %	Lakshman Chandra Seth		CPI(M)	5,07,228	49 %	−57,380
2009				6,37,664	55 %	Lakshman Chandra Seth			4,64,706	40 %	1,72,958	15 %	Won
2014				7,16,928	53 %	Sheikh Ibrahim Ali			4,70,447	35 %	2,46,481	18 %	Won