Kolkata, May 9: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday hailed the “Jana Shakti” of West Bengal while attending the swearing-in ceremony of Suvendu Adhikari, who took oath as the ninth Chief Minister of the state at the historic Brigade Parade Grounds in Kolkata.
PM Modi arrived in Kolkata amid massive celebrations by BJP workers and supporters, marking the party’s historic rise to power in West Bengal for the first time since Independence. Accompanied by Chief Minister-designate Suvendu Adhikari and state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya, the Prime Minister took a ride in an open-air jeep through the sprawling Brigade Parade Grounds, waving to thousands of enthusiastic supporters gathered at the venue.
The entire ground was decorated in saffron colours, while traditional drummers and cultural performers added vibrancy to the grand ceremony. Supporters raised slogans in favour of the BJP leadership as the Prime Minister greeted the crowd from the vehicle and later from the stage.
Upon reaching the dais, PM Modi met several dignitaries, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Ministers, Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states and senior party leaders.
In an emotional moment during the event, the Prime Minister honoured veteran BJP worker Makhanlal Sarkar by presenting him with a shawl and seeking his blessings. The gesture drew loud applause from party supporters.
Addressing the gathering through gestures and greetings, PM Modi bowed before the crowd and thanked the people of West Bengal for handing the BJP a decisive mandate in the Assembly elections. Later, in a social media post, he wrote, “I bow to the Jana Shakti of West Bengal,” while sharing a video clip from the ceremony.
The BJP secured a landslide victory in the 294-member Assembly by winning 207 seats, ending the decade-and-a-half rule of the All India Trinamool Congress. The Trinamool Congress was reduced to 80 seats, down sharply from the 215 seats it had won in the 2021 Assembly elections.
