KOLKATA: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in West Bengal on Wednesday announced its cabinet portfolios, assigning key departments to domain experts and senior politicians. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari retained the home, law and judiciary, power, land and land revenue, information and cultural affairs, and several other heavyweight ministries.
Key Appointments
Oncologist Sharadwat Mukherjee was given the health portfolio, former journalist Jagannath Chattopadhyay received higher education, former headmaster Dipak Barman was assigned school education, Padma Bhushan awardee and columnist Swapan Dasgupta was given finance, and veteran politician Tapas Roy took charge of commerce and industry.
“We have tried to put people, who understand existing problems and people’s aspirations, in charge of key departments,” a BJP senior said.
Other Portfolios
The tourism portfolio went to Sankar Ghosh, and panchayat and rural development to Dilip Ghosh, underscoring the BJP’s effort to project a cabinet reflecting its footprint across West Bengal. Adhikari publicly signalled Mukherjee’s appointment during a visit to a Ram temple in the city before the formal notification was issued. Roy also received non-conventional and renewable energy sources.
Barman, a BJP veteran from north Bengal, takes charge of the school education department, which was scarred by corruption allegations linked to teacher recruitment during the Trinamool Congress (TMC) tenure.
Delay in Portfolio Distribution
Sources linked the delay in portfolio distribution to prolonged consultations aimed at accommodating RSS concerns. At least nine ministers with roots in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) secured influential departments.
The cabinet formation reflects a blend of expertise and political experience, aiming to address governance challenges and fulfil the aspirations of the people of West Bengal.
