West Bengal Elections 2026: Who Will Be CM? Is it Dilip Ghosh or Suvendu Adhikary; Know BJP's Probable Ministers

West Bengal Elections 2026: After massive victory in assembly elections, BJP is now in full control of West Bengal for the first time. The party's next big move is deciding who will lead the state as Chief Minister, Dilip Ghosh or Suvendu Adhikary

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Suvendu Adhikary

After BJP's historic win in West Bengal, the big question is who will be the Chief Minister. Political experts say three names are in the running: Suvendu Adhikari, Agnimitra Paul, and Roopa Ganguly. However, 'giant killer' Suvendu is seen as the top contender.

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Why Suvendu Adhikary Can Be Next CM?

Suvendu Adhikari earned the 'giant killer' tag after he defeated Mamata Banerjee by over 15,000 votes in the Bhabanipur seat. This loss was especially tough for Mamata, as Suvendu was once her close associate in the Trinamool Congress before joining the BJP.

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Political Future

Once a trusted aide, Adhikari completely reinvented himself to become a strong opponent of the very leader he once respected. In this process, he has reshaped his political future and won the confidence of the BJP's top brass.

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BJP Leadership

On Tuesday, the BJP's central leadership appointed Home Minister Amit Shah as the observer to select the legislative party leader in Bengal. Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi will be the co-observer. Shah is in Kolkata on Wednesday to finalise the CM and cabinet. Sources say the party will stake its claim to form the government today itself. The new BJP government is expected to be sworn in at the Brigade Parade Ground on 25th Baishakh (Rabindra Jayanti), with PM Narendra Modi in attendance.

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North Bengal V/s South Bengal

Sources say the BJP plans to maintain a balance between North and South Bengal in its potential cabinet. The party has always had a strong presence in North Bengal and won't sideline its MLAs from there. Reports suggest that candidates who defeated TMC heavyweights will get cabinet berths. One such name is Sourav Sikdar, who beat Chandrima Bhattacharya in Dum Dum North. He is the nephew of the late former Union Minister Tapan Sikdar.

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Potential Ministers

The list of potential ministers includes Papiya Adhikari, who defeated Arup Biswas in Tollygunge, and Ajay Roy, who beat TMC heavyweight Udayan Guha in Dinhata. Others who could become ministers are Sharadwat Mukhopadhyay (beat Sujit Basu in Bidhannagar), Krishnendu Mukherjee (beat Malay Ghatak in Asansol North), and Arijit Bakshi (beat Bratya Basu in Dumdum). Dilip Ghosh, Shankar Ghosh, Nisith Pramanik, and Agnimitra Paul are also strong contenders for a cabinet post.