"BJP govt formed with Goddess Tara's blessings, nationalist wave sweeping through": Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari

Suvendu Adhikari told ANI, "Hindus come here not just from across the country, but from all over the world. I came to seek the Mother's (Goddess) blessings. It is through Her blessings that the BJP government was formed in West Bengal. Things will go well. The government will work here with the Mother's (Goddess) blessings. A nationalist wave is sweeping through. It is entirely a nationalist wave."

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday offered prayers at the Tarapith Temple in Birbhum and said that the BJP government in the State was formed with Goddess Tara's blessings. Suvendu Adhikari told ANI, "Hindus come here not just from across the country, but from all over the world. I came to seek the Mother's (Goddess) blessings. It is through Her blessings that the BJP government was formed in West Bengal. Things will go well. The government will work here with the Mother's (Goddess) blessings. A nationalist wave is sweeping through. It is entirely a nationalist wave."

Goddess Tara is the second of the 10 Mahavidyas (Goddesses), and the temple and the Tarapith town in Birbhum are dedicated to her. Adhikari is leading the first-ever BJP government in West Bengal. The BJP's victory in West Bengal marked a significant moment for the party as it has been a marginal player in the state, dominated for years by the Congress, Left parties, and later Trinamool Congress.

The party secured 206 seats (later also winning in the Falta constituency in re-polling) out of 294 seats in the Assembly. TMC, which ruled for 15 years, won 80 seats. Congress won two seats, while Humayun Kabir's AJUP was restricted to two seats. CPI(M), which used to be a dominant force in the State, managed to win a single seat.

Despite the BJP's sweeping seat victory, the vote share revealed a more competitive undercurrent. The party secured 45.84 per cent of the vote, while the TMC followed closely with 40.80 per cent, highlighting that the electoral battle remained fiercely contested at the grassroots level. In 2021, the BJP emerged as the principal opposition with 77 seats and roughly 38 per cent of the vote, paving the way for the victory in 2026. (ANI)