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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are likely to attend the BJP government's oath-taking ceremony in West Bengal on May 9, after the saffron party won the Assembly elections with a massive margin, ending TMC Supremo Mamata Banerjee's 15-year rule in the state.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to attend BJP's oath-taking ceremony in West Bengal(PTI)Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government's first oath-taking ceremony in West Bengal will be held on May 9 at Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata, state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya announced on Wednesday.
The saffron camp is prepared to formally assume power after ending West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee's 15-year rule in the state.
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The BJP government's first oath-taking ceremony in West Bengal is scheduled for May 9 at 10 am at the Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are expected to attend the oath-taking ceremony. BJP President Nitin Nabin and several other Union ministers are also anticipated to be present.
The ceremony is scheduled for the 25th day of Baisakh, which is observed as Rabindra Jayanti, the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore. This date adds cultural symbolism to the event and is seen as an attempt by the BJP to integrate its rise with Bengal's cultural identity.
The BJP secured a landslide victory in the West Bengal Assembly elections, winning 206 seats out of 294. This marks the BJP's first government in the state, a significant increase from their 77 seats in the 2021 elections. The TMC secured 80 seats.
Following the BJP's victory in the West Bengal Assembly elections, security arrangements outside the residences of Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee have been scaled down. Additional personnel and advanced barricading systems have been withdrawn, with only existing Z+ category security cover remaining.
Oath-taking ceremony details
The ceremony is scheduled to commence at 10 am, party sources told news agency PTI, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are expected to witness the ceremony, along with BJP President Nitin Nabin and several other Union ministers.
Speaking to reporters, Bhattacharya said, "The new BJP government will take oath on May 9 at 10 am at Brigade Parade Ground."
Swearing-in ceremony and significance of the date
Significantly, the swearing-in ceremony is expected to be held on the 25th day of Baisakh according to the Bengali calendar, observed across the state as Rabindra Jayanti, the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore, lending the event a layer of cultural symbolism.
Party sources added that the choice of the date is being viewed in political circles as an attempt by the BJP to embed its historic rise within the state's cultural imagination and counter the TMC's long-standing portrayal of the saffron party as a "party of outsiders" disconnected from Bengal's linguistic and intellectual ethos.
A meeting of the newly elected BJP MLAs has been called for May 8 evening, party sources said, though the leadership remained tight-lipped about the chief ministerial face.
Earlier today, senior BJP leaders, including State President Samik Bhattacharya and National General Secretary Sunil Bansal, arrived at Nabanna in Kolkata to attend a crucial meeting.
Amit Shah appointed as BJP's central observer for Bengal
ANI reported that on Tuesday, Shah was appointed as the party's central observer for West Bengal, with Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi serving as the central co-observer. Additionally, Union Minister JP Nadda has been designated as the central observer for the election of the leader of the party's legislative party in Assam, with Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini as the central co-observer.
Additionally, Shah is expected to visit West Bengal on Thursday evening as part of the saffron party's ongoing political engagements following its historic win in the state. According to top BJP sources, Shah will first attend the cabinet expansion oath-taking ceremony in Bihar and will subsequently depart directly from there to West Bengal. His visit is being seen as significant, coming at a crucial juncture when the party is actively engaged in post-election strategy and government formation discussions.
West Bengal Assembly elections
The BJP secured a landslide victory in the recently concluded Assembly elections, paving the way for its first-ever government in Bengal after years of organisational expansion and sharp ideological polarisation.
According to the latest data from the Election Commission of India (ECI), the BJP secured 206 seats out of 294 in the state Assembly elections, outperforming its 77-seat tally in the 2021 Assembly elections. The TMC, on the other hand, which swept the last Assembly polls by winning 212 seats, finished a distant second with just 80 seats.
(with agency inputs)
Key Takeaways
- BJP's victory in West Bengal represents a significant political shift and organizational expansion in the state.
- The timing of the oath-taking ceremony coincides with Rabindra Jayanti, blending political and cultural symbolism.
- The BJP's approach aims to counter perceptions of being an outsider party in West Bengal.
About the Author
Swati Gandhi
Swati Gandhi is a digital journalist with over four years of experience, specialising in international and geopolitical issues. Her work focuses on foreign policy, global power shifts, and the political and economic forces shaping international relations, with a particular emphasis on how global developments affect India. She approaches journalism with a strong belief in context-driven reporting, aiming to break down complex global events into clear, accessible narratives for a wide readership.<br><br> Previously, Swati has worked at Business Standard, where she covered a range of beats including national affairs, politics, and business. This diverse newsroom experience helped her build a strong grounding in reporting, while also strengthening her ability to work across both breaking news and in-depth explanatory stories. Covering multiple beats early in her career has helped her be informed about her current work, allowing her to connect domestic developments with wider international trends.<br><br> At Live Mint, she focuses on international and geopolitical issues through a business and economic lens, examining how global political developments, foreign policy decisions, and power shifts impact markets, industries, and India’s strategic and economic interests.<br><br> She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English (Honours) from the University of Delhi and a Master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University. Her academic training has shaped her emphasis on precision, analytical rigour, and clarity in writing. Her interests include global political economy and the intersection of geopolitics with business.<br><br> Outside work, Swati focuses on exploring her passion and love for food. From fancy cafes to street spots, Swati explores food like a true foodie.
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