CM-elect Adhikari stakes claim to form Bengal's first BJP government

West Bengals chief minister-elect Suvendu Adhikari met Governor R N Ravi on Friday evening and staked a claim to form the first BJP-led government in the state. In the recently concluded state polls, the BJP romped home with 207 seats in the 294-member Assembly, reducing the TMC to just 80.

West Bengal's chief minister-elect Suvendu Adhikari met Governor R N Ravi on Friday evening and staked a claim to form the first BJP-led government in the state. Accompanied by several top leaders of the BJP's state unit, including Dilip Ghosh, Locket Chatterjee, and Tapas Roy, the CM-elect reached the Lok Bhavan barely two hours after being elected the leader of the BJP legislative party in a meeting that was chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. In the recently concluded state polls, the BJP romped home with 207 seats in the 294-member Assembly, reducing the TMC to just 80. Adhikari and his council of ministers are scheduled to be sworn in at a grand ceremony at the Brigade Parade Grounds on Saturday in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, top Union ministers and some 20 chief ministers of BJP-ruled states.