Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday took a sharp dig at Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee, while announcing Suvendu Adhikari as BJP’s Chief Minister face for West Bengal, saying she had been “defeated on her home turf” in Bhabanipur.
“Suvendu da ne ghar mein aa ke haraya (Suvendu da came to your home turf and defeated you),” Shah said, underscoring Adhikari’s victory over Banerjee in her south Kolkata stronghold. He made the remarks at a key BJP meeting where Adhikari, 55, was named as the party’s legislative party leader, effectively becoming the first West Bengal Chief Minister from the saffron party.
Describing the decisive mandate for the BJP as a turning point in West Bengal politics, Shah said, “Didi ka supra saaf ho gaya (Didi has been wiped out on her home turf).”
Framing the BJP’s victory as a broader political shift, Shah said, “For five long decades, Bengal has suffered from the erosion of democracy, the collapse of law and order. Today, Bengal is entering a new phase.” He stressed that the party now carried the responsibility to fulfil the promises made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Highlighting the scale of the victory, Shah noted that the BJP had emerged as the number one party in 20 out of 30 districts and secured sweeping wins in regions like Purba Medinipur, Asansol, Purulia and Bankura. “There is not a single district where we do not have an MLA,” he said.
He also credited the record turnout in the Assembly polls and peaceful polling. “Polling crossed 93 per cent. Both phases concluded without a single death,” Shah said, congratulating the Election Commission, security forces and state officials for conducting what he called a model election.
Taking aim at the Opposition, Shah rejected allegations of polarisation. “This is not about polarisation. This is an issue of national security,” he said, adding that the BJP would act firmly against threats “booth by booth” across the country.
The Home Minister criticised the Congress leadership, saying repeated electoral defeats called for “serious introspection”. “Those in politics who refuse self-reflection can never truly achieve victory,” he said.
He also congratulated Adhikari on being named Chief Minister, calling the verdict a “historic mandate” and expressing confidence in his leadership. “I extend my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes (to him). I hope this historic mandate becomes the means to fulfil the aspirations and expectations of the people of Bengal,” Shah said.
Recalling his long association with Adhikari, he added, “I have known Suvendu Adhikari for a long time. He is a fighter. I have seen both his political rise and his connection with the grassroots.”
Shah said Adhikari had continued his struggle despite obstacles. “The administration created many hurdles, yet Suvendu ji carried on with determination. I have complete faith in him. The struggle he carried out has produced results today,” he said.
The Home Minister thanked the people of the state for placing their trust in the BJP, saying West Bengal had long witnessed an atmosphere where free and fair voting was difficult. “The atmosphere that had been created since the Communist era was deepened by Mamata Banerjee, and it was almost impossible to cast your vote there,” he said.
Calling on party workers to work towards the vision of ‘Sonar Bangla‘ (Golden Bengal), Shah said the state was now moving towards a future “where the mind is without fear and the head is held high,” invoking lines associated with Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.
“This victory is linked to what PM Modi had said that eastern and western India must progress together,” he said, urging all parties to work towards strengthening democratic processes and ending election-related violence.
The BJP scripted history by ending the TMC’s 15-year rule, winning 207 of 293 seats. The Mamata Banerjee-led party managed only 80. Adhikari defeated Mamata Banerjee for the second time in elections – in Bhabanipur this year, and in Nandigram in the 2021 polls.
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Published On:
May 8, 2026 17:22 IST
