KOLKATA: The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) first cabinet in West Bengal is set to be a mix of seasoned veterans and political newcomers, with Suvendu Adhikari emerging as a leading candidate for the chief minister's post. Union Minister Amit Shah and Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Majhi will preside over the BJP legislative party meeting on Friday, where the legislative party leader—and consequently the chief minister—will be selected.
Key Meeting and Leadership Selection
Shah is expected to arrive in Kolkata on Friday morning and hold preliminary discussions with key state functionaries before meeting with newly elected MLAs at 4 pm. The meeting will finalize the leader of the legislative party, who will then be sworn in as chief minister. Sources indicate that Suvendu Adhikari, a former Trinamool Congress leader who joined the BJP, is among the frontrunners for the top post.
First-Time MLAs in the Running
Several first-time MLAs are being considered for cabinet positions. These include:
- Ratna Debnath, mother of the RG Kar victim
- Utpal Maharaj, a Bharat Sevashram Sangha monk who was expelled for entering politics
- Rajesh Kumar, a former IPS officer
- Dipanjan Chakraborty, a former NSG commando
Additionally, Maniktala MLA Tapas Ray is being considered for the post of Speaker, while a woman MLA may be appointed as deputy chief minister, according to sources.
Priority for Sangh Parivar Roots
A senior Bengal BJP leader made it clear that the top brass will take the final decision, emphasizing that "everything is currently in the discussion stage." Senior functionaries indicated that candidates with deep roots in the Sangh Parivar are likely to receive priority. The party plans to rely on individuals with RSS links and veterans to lead both the government and the organizational structure. The new cabinet is designed to ensure ideological commitment and grassroots mobilization while maintaining a focus on regional representation.
Coordination with RSS
In recent coordination meetings between the BJP and the RSS, the latter emphasized the importance of ideological cohesion. "The party is focusing on candidates with a long history of working with the Sangh. Apart from that, it will try to accommodate more veterans," a senior leader stated.
Veterans and Other Contenders
Veterans such as former national vice-president Dilip Ghosh and former state women's wing head Agnimitra Paul are being considered for key portfolios. Other frontrunners for cabinet berths include:
- Former junior Union minister Nisith Pramanik
- Barrackpore MLA Arjun Singh
- Two-time Murshidabad MLA Gouri Shankar Ghosh
- Former president of VHP's Bengal unit Shruti Shekhar Goswami
- Former MP Roopa Ganguly
- Advocate Koustav Bagchi
- Dipak Barman
- Sajal Ghosh
- Indranil Khan
- Joyel Murmu
The final composition of the cabinet will be announced after the legislative party meeting, with the party's high command making the ultimate decisions.
