Adhikari, who famously defected from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) to the BJP ahead of the 2021 elections and defeated Mamata Banerjee in the Nandigram constituency, was chosen as Chief Minister after the BJP’s sweeping win in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. His appointment marked the end of Mamata’s 15-year dominance over Bengal’s politics and the beginning of what the BJP is calling a “new era of development and accountability.”

Key Policy Reversals

Among the most significant reversals is the review of the state’s Duare Sarkar (Government at Your Doorstep) programme, which was a cornerstone of Mamata’s welfare delivery model. Adhikari has ordered an audit of the scheme, alleging widespread irregularities and fake beneficiaries. “Public money was being looted under the guise of welfare,” Adhikari told reporters. “Every rupee spent by the previous government will be accounted for.”

The new government has also moved to restructure the state’s education and employment policies. The controversial school recruitment process, which was mired in allegations of corruption and resulted in multiple court cases and arrests, is being overhauled. Adhikari has promised fresh recruitment examinations conducted through transparent, centralised systems.

Other reversals include changes to the state’s approach to political rallies and public gatherings, the renaming of government schemes launched under TMC branding, and the review of land allotments and contracts awarded during the previous government’s tenure. The BJP government has also signalled a harder line on law and order, with the Home Department issuing directives to police to crack down on political violence and syndicate-raj — the extortion networks that plagued parts of the state.

Mamata’s Response

Former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is now the Leader of the Opposition, has hit back sharply at what she calls “vendetta politics.” In a press conference on June 9, she accused the BJP government of “dismantling welfare programmes that benefited millions of poor Bengalis” and warned of mass protests if development schemes are scrapped without adequate alternatives.

“The people of Bengal gave them a mandate to govern, not to destroy,” Mamata said. “Every scheme we launched — Kanyashree, Sabuj Sathi, Duare Sarkar — was designed to help the poorest of the poor. If they touch these schemes, the people will rise.”

The TMC, which has been weakened by the defection of 20 of its MPs to the NDA last week, is struggling to mount an effective opposition. However, political analysts note that Mamata’s personal popularity remains significant, and the BJP government risks a backlash if policy reversals are seen as hurting welfare delivery rather than improving accountability.

The Adhikari Factor

Shubhendu Adhikari’s rise to the Chief Minister’s chair is itself a remarkable political story. The son of veteran TMC leader Sisir Adhikari, Shubhendu was once among Mamata’s closest lieutenants before a dramatic falling-out in late 2020. His defection to the BJP, which he attributed to the TMC’s “corruption, dynasty politics, and appeasement policies,” was seen as a major blow to Mamata’s electoral prospects in 2021.

Though the BJP lost the 2021 election despite Adhikari’s contribution, the party steadily built its base in Bengal over the next five years. The 2026 election saw a combination of anti-incumbency, organisational expansion, and the consolidation of Hindu votes deliver a decisive majority for the BJP, with Adhikari emerging as the consensus choice for CM thanks to his grassroots connect and aggressive political style.

Challenges Ahead

Governing West Bengal will not be easy. The state faces significant economic challenges, including high unemployment, a struggling manufacturing sector, and fiscal constraints. The TMC government’s welfare spending, while popular, has been criticised for straining state finances. Adhikari will need to balance fiscal discipline with welfare delivery — a challenge that has tripped up many state governments.

The political situation is also volatile. West Bengal has a history of political violence, and the transition from TMC to BJP rule has already seen reports of tensions in several districts. Adhikari has promised “zero tolerance for violence” but will need to ensure that his security apparatus does not become a tool for political retribution.

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• West Bengal Election Results 2026: BJP Storms to Historic Victory as Mamata Banerjee’s TMC Faces Shock Defeat After 15 Years in Power
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For now, Bengal watches and waits. The first 100 days of the Adhikari government will be critical in setting the tone — and determining whether the new CM can deliver on his promise of transformation without repeating the mistakes of the regime he replaced.

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The Dramatic Day in Delhi

While Mamata Banerjee sat alongside Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav, and leaders from 25 opposition parties at the INDIA bloc meeting, discussing strategies to counter the BJP-led government, a group of TMC MPs were holding their own closed-door meeting at the residence of Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, barely a kilometre away.

The rebellion was led by veteran leader Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, who had served as TMC’s Rajya Sabha chief whip for 13 years. Ray resigned from the party, filed his formal letter of resignation, and walked out — taking with him at least 11 MPs who attended the meeting with BJP leadership on the day. Reports indicate that the total number of TMC parliamentarians ready to switch allegiance could be as high as 20, representing over 70 percent of the party’s Lok Sabha strength.

“We are forming a separate bloc in Parliament. We will support the NDA,” Ray declared outside the meeting. “We are the real Trinamool — the party that Mamata Banerjee founded with democratic principles has been reduced to a family enterprise.”

Roots of the Rebellion

The TMC split did not happen overnight. It is the culmination of months of simmering discontent within the party over several issues that have eroded the morale of rank-and-file leaders and parliamentarians.

At the centre of the rebellion is the growing dominance of Mamata Banerjee’s nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, in party affairs. Several senior leaders have privately expressed frustration at being sidelined in favour of younger leaders perceived to be part of the “family circle.” The organisational restructuring carried out by Abhishek in 2025 alienated several veteran leaders who found their influence diminished.

The TMC’s performance in recent by-elections, declining vote share in several parliamentary constituencies, and allegations of corruption involving party functionaries have also contributed to the growing disillusionment. Additionally, the party’s handling of the RG Kar Medical College controversy and its aftermath left many leaders uncomfortable with the leadership’s response.

INDIA Bloc Meeting — A Study in Contrasts

The timing of the split could not have been more damaging for the opposition’s optics. The INDIA bloc meeting, attended by representatives of 25 parties, was meant to project unity against the BJP government on issues ranging from the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, CBSE and NEET examination controversies, to economic concerns and constitutional questions.

Congress president Kharge used the meeting to demand the resignation of the Education Minister over NEET irregularities and announced that the INDIA bloc would write to the Chief Justice of India regarding allegations that crores of voter names were deleted during the SIR process.

However, the news of the TMC split overshadowed virtually every other agenda item. Political commentators noted that the development struck at the heart of the INDIA bloc’s credibility, raising questions about whether the alliance can function as a coherent opposition force if its constituent parties are themselves fracturing.

Mamata’s Response

Mamata Banerjee, who was reportedly blindsided by the scale of the rebellion, maintained a stoic public demeanour at the INDIA bloc meeting. However, sources close to the TMC leadership said the Chief Minister was “furious” and had initiated calls to individual MPs to gauge the extent of the damage.

TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh dismissed the rebels as “opportunists and BJP agents” who had been planning their exit for months. “These individuals were already in touch with the BJP. Their departure cleanses the party. TMC’s strength comes from the people of Bengal, not from a handful of turncoats,” Ghosh said.

However, the numbers tell a different story. If 20 of TMC’s 28 Lok Sabha MPs and its Rajya Sabha members defect, the party’s parliamentary strength would be decimated. The rebels claim they represent the “real Trinamool” and may seek legal recognition as a separate group, potentially triggering disputes over party symbols and legislative standing.

BJP’s Calculus

For the BJP, the TMC split represents a significant strategic gain. The ruling party, which has been steadily expanding its footprint in West Bengal, now stands to benefit from the organizational chaos within its primary rival in the state.

BJP sources indicated that the rebel TMC MPs would formally join the party in the coming weeks, though the process of integration would be handled carefully to avoid alienating existing BJP leaders in Bengal who have fought against TMC for years.

“This is a natural homecoming for leaders who believe in development, good governance, and nationalism,” said a senior BJP leader. “Mamata Banerjee’s authoritarian leadership style and the pervasive corruption in Bengal made this inevitable.”

Implications for Bengal Politics

The TMC split has profound implications for West Bengal’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 assembly elections. With a significantly weakened parliamentary presence, TMC’s ability to project itself as a national force is severely compromised. More critically, the defection of senior leaders could trigger a domino effect at the state level, where MLAs and local leaders may reassess their political allegiances.

Political analyst Partha Chatterjee (not to be confused with the arrested TMC leader of the same name) observed, “This is the most serious challenge Mamata Banerjee has faced since she founded the TMC. The party’s identity is inseparable from hers, but if the organizational structure collapses, even her personal popularity may not be enough to hold things together.”

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The coming weeks will be critical in determining whether the TMC split is a fatal blow to the party or whether Mamata Banerjee, a politician known for her resilience and ability to fight back from adversity, can once again defy the odds and rebuild. For now, however, the political landscape of India’s opposition has been irrevocably altered.

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Breakdown of the New Cabinet

Of the 35 newly sworn-in MLAs, 13 were inducted as cabinet ministers, three as ministers of state with independent charge, and 19 as ministers of state. This structure reflects a carefully calibrated balance of regional representation, caste dynamics, and factional interests within the Bengal BJP, which came to power in the state for the first time following its decisive victory in the 2026 assembly elections.

The expansion follows the initial swearing-in on May 9, when only six BJP leaders — including CM Suvendu Adhikari, Dilip Ghosh, Agnimitra Paul, and three others — took oath to form the core of the government. The limited initial cabinet was a tactical decision, allowing Adhikari and the BJP central leadership time to assess competing demands from various factions, regions, and community groups before making portfolio allocations.

Notable inclusions in the expanded cabinet reportedly include senior BJP leaders who had been instrumental in the party’s ground-level campaign in Bengal, legislators from key regions including North Bengal, the Jangalmahal belt, and the Matua-dominated areas of South Bengal, as well as representatives from scheduled caste, scheduled tribe, and minority communities.

Political Significance

The cabinet expansion is significant on multiple levels. For the BJP, it represents the transition from electoral victory to functional governance in a state where the party had been in opposition for years. A full council of ministers is essential for the day-to-day administration of a state with a population exceeding 100 million, and the delay in expansion had been cited by opposition parties as evidence that the BJP was struggling to manage its internal dynamics in Bengal.

The composition of the cabinet also sends important signals about the BJP’s governance priorities and its strategy for consolidating its position in Bengal’s complex political landscape. By including legislators from North Bengal — a region where the BJP has strong support among communities that have historically felt neglected by Kolkata-centric governments — the party is signalling that it intends to address regional imbalances that have long fuelled political discontent.

The inclusion of leaders from the Jangalmahal tribal belt (Bankura, Purulia, Jhargram, West Midnapore) is similarly significant. This region, which witnessed Maoist insurgency in the 2000s and has been a swing area between the TMC and BJP, will be closely watching whether the new ministers deliver on promises of development, road connectivity, and employment that the BJP made during the election campaign.

TMC’s Deepening Crisis

The cabinet expansion comes at a time when the opposition Trinamool Congress is facing one of its worst internal crises. In a stunning development, 60 of the TMC’s 80 MLAs reportedly skipped a meeting called by party supremo Mamata Banerjee, indicating a severe erosion of party discipline and loyalty following the party’s unexpected loss of power.

The TMC’s troubles have been compounded by allegations of attacks on its leaders, including party MP Abhishek Banerjee, who was allegedly assaulted during a visit to party workers affected by post-poll violence. Mamata Banerjee herself led a sit-in protest in Kolkata, accusing the BJP of targeting TMC workers and attempting to intimidate the opposition.

Political analysts note that the TMC’s difficulty in keeping its legislative party together is partly a consequence of the party’s historically centralised power structure, which revolved around Mamata Banerjee’s personal authority. With the party out of power for the first time since 2011, the incentive structures that kept the party together — access to government resources, patronage networks, and the promise of political advancement — have been disrupted, leading to fragmentation.

Governance Challenges Ahead

The Suvendu Adhikari government faces a formidable set of challenges as it settles into governance with a full cabinet. West Bengal’s economy, which grew at approximately 7 percent annually during the TMC’s tenure, is showing signs of strain in sectors including manufacturing, small business, and agriculture. The state’s fiscal position is constrained by high debt levels, limited own-tax revenue growth, and significant expenditure commitments on social welfare schemes that the previous government had introduced.

Law and order remains a pressing concern, with reports of post-poll violence, political intimidation, and communal tensions requiring firm but balanced handling by the new administration. The BJP’s central leadership has repeatedly emphasised that the Bengal government must demonstrate good governance and development delivery rather than engaging in political vendetta against the TMC, a message that will be tested as the new ministers take charge of their respective departments.

The industrial policy challenge is particularly acute. Bengal, which was once India’s industrial powerhouse, has seen a decline in manufacturing investment over decades. The BJP has promised to revive the state’s industrial sector by improving the ease of doing business, attracting investment, and resolving long-standing issues related to land acquisition, labour regulations, and infrastructure. Whether the expanded cabinet can translate these promises into concrete action will determine the government’s credibility.

Education, healthcare, and rural development are other priority areas where the new ministers will need to demonstrate quick wins while also laying the groundwork for longer-term structural improvements. The BJP’s performance in governance in Bengal will be closely watched nationally, as it will influence the party’s narrative ahead of future elections in other states and the 2029 general elections.

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West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee led a massive sit-in protest on Monday at Rani Rashmoni Avenue in Esplanade, Kolkata, over what her party describes as an orchestrated campaign of post-poll violence and targeted attacks on TMC leaders by BJP-affiliated groups in the state.

The demonstration, which drew thousands of TMC supporters from across West Bengal, proceeded despite reports that police had not granted formal permission for the gathering. Banerjee arrived at the protest site around noon and vowed to continue the sit-in “until the central government acts against those responsible for political violence in Bengal.”

What Triggered the Protest

The immediate trigger was the alleged attack on TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee — the Chief Minister’s nephew and the party’s most prominent young leader — during his visit to Sonarpur on 30 May. Banerjee had gone to meet families affected by post-poll violence when he was allegedly attacked with stones and eggs by a group of locals. He sustained minor injuries in the incident.

Five persons have been arrested and two detained by police in connection with the Sonarpur attack. TMC alleges that the attackers were instigated by BJP operatives, a charge the BJP has denied, calling it “political drama” staged by TMC to divert attention from its own governance failures.

The Sonarpur incident was followed by a separate attack on TMC Lok Sabha MP Kalyan Banerjee, who was reportedly heckled and manhandled during a public event. TMC workers subsequently staged protests across parts of West Bengal over the weekend, setting the stage for Monday’s mega demonstration led by the Chief Minister herself.

Mamata’s Message and Demands

Speaking to supporters at Esplanade, Banerjee accused the BJP-led central government and the Governor of West Bengal of creating a “climate of violence” aimed at destabilising the elected state government. “They couldn’t defeat TMC at the ballot box, so now they’re trying to intimidate us through street violence,” she told the crowd.

Her specific demands include: an impartial investigation by a sitting High Court judge into the attacks on TMC leaders; action against what she called “BJP goon squads” operating with impunity in certain districts; and the recall of the current West Bengal Governor, whom TMC accuses of functioning as a “BJP agent” rather than a constitutional authority.

Banerjee also used the platform to address the internal challenges her party has been facing. Reports in recent weeks suggested that as many as 60 of TMC’s 80 MLAs skipped a critical party meeting, raising questions about dissent within the ranks. On Monday, the Chief Minister’s ability to mobilise a massive crowd appeared to be a pointed response to those narratives.

The Political Context

West Bengal has been a tinderbox of political tensions since the 2024 general elections, where BJP made significant inroads in the state. The party won 18 of 42 Lok Sabha seats in Bengal — its best-ever performance in the state — emboldening its cadre and creating friction with TMC’s traditional dominance.

Post-poll violence has been a recurring feature of West Bengal politics, with accusations flowing in both directions. Following the 2021 state assembly elections that Mamata won decisively, the BJP accused TMC of orchestrating violence against its supporters. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) sent a fact-finding team and produced a report detailing alleged atrocities. TMC dismissed the NHRC findings as politically motivated.

The current round of violence, however, has a different character. TMC claims that its leaders are being targeted specifically to create a narrative of lawlessness in West Bengal, which can then be used to justify central intervention or President’s Rule — a scenario that opposition parties in several states have warned about.

BJP’s Counter-Narrative

The BJP has dismissed Mamata’s protest as “political theatre” designed to distract from TMC’s internal problems and governance failures. Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar told reporters: “Mamata Banerjee is protesting against violence that her own party cadre has perpetrated for decades. This is the height of hypocrisy.”

Governor CV Ananda Bose, who has had a consistently adversarial relationship with the TMC government, issued a statement calling on all parties to “maintain peace and respect democratic institutions.” TMC immediately rejected the statement, with party spokesperson Kunal Ghosh calling it “interference from an unelected office that has no business commenting on democratic protests.”

BJP’s central leadership, meanwhile, has used the Bengal situation to reinforce its national narrative about “lawless opposition-ruled states.” Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the central government was “monitoring the situation closely” and would “not hesitate to act if the constitutional machinery breaks down.”

Impact on Bengal Politics

The protest is likely to have significant implications for West Bengal’s political landscape. For Mamata, successfully mobilising a large crowd demonstrates that her hold over the party and its base remains strong despite the reported MLA dissent. It also allows her to frame the narrative as TMC versus BJP’s central machinery, rather than addressing internal party fissures.

For the BJP, the challenge is to maintain its momentum in Bengal without overplaying its hand. Heavy-handed central intervention could backfire by uniting Bengali sentiment behind Mamata, who has historically thrived in the role of a fighter taking on powerful forces.

Political analysts note that the 2026 municipal elections in West Bengal are approaching, and both parties are positioning themselves for what could be a crucial test of strength. The violence and protests are as much about controlling the narrative ahead of those elections as they are about the specific incidents themselves.

What Happens Next

The sit-in protest is expected to continue through Tuesday, with TMC announcing that party leaders from all 294 assembly constituencies will participate in rotation. The party has also called for a statewide “bandh” (general strike) if its demands are not met within a week — a move that could significantly escalate tensions.

Legal challenges are also likely. TMC has announced it will move the Calcutta High Court seeking a court-monitored investigation into the attacks on its leaders. The BJP is expected to counter-file, demanding investigation into TMC’s own alleged violence against opposition workers.

For ordinary citizens of West Bengal, the spiral of political violence and protest is a depressingly familiar pattern. As one Kolkata shopkeeper near the Esplanade protest site told news cameras: “Every few years, someone is protesting here. The party changes, the slogans change, but the common man’s problems remain the same.”

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