Suvendu Adhikari First BJP CM in Bengal: Subhendu comes from the Mahishya community, which does farming and lives in rural areas. This is about 10 percent of its total population.
Suvendu Adhikari as First BJP CM in Bengal: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is going to form the government for the first time in West Bengal, the home state of its founder Syama Prasad Mukherjee. Shubhendu Adhikari will take the oath of office and secrecy as the ninth Chief Minister of the state on Saturday (May 9). This is not just a change of power in the politics of West Bengal, but it is being seen as the success of a big political experiment. After BJP’s historic and landslide victory in the recent elections, choosing Subhendu Adhikari for the post of Chief Minister is not only a reward for his struggle and hard work but also a very strategic and far-reaching step taken by BJP keeping in mind the changing social, caste and political structure of Bengal.
In fact, BJP has made a big bet by choosing Shubhendu, who defeated Mamata Banerjee by entering her stronghold in two consecutive elections, as the CM face. In such a situation, it has become interesting to know what were the reasons due to which BJP chose Shubhendu Adhikari as its first Chief Minister of Bengal.
Masterstroke to break ‘Bhadralok politics’
For decades, the politics of Bengal has revolved around the so-called Bhadralok i.e. the upper caste Brahmins and Kayastha class as well as the urban elite class, but by putting forward Subhendu Adhikari, BJP has not only tried to break the cover of that so-called Bhadralok but has also made a dent in it. BJP has completely changed the game of this Bhadralok and has extended it to the rural, farmers and other backward class society.
Actually, Shubhendu comes from the Mahishya community, which does farming in the state and lives in rural areas. Its population is about 10 percent of the total population of the state. This community has a heavy presence in the Medinipur belt and parts of South Bengal. The message is clear that BJP chose to give preference to OBCs instead of Bhadralok so that the power of Bengal can go into the hands of villages, farms and backward communities and BJP can remain in power for a long time because of them. Moreover, giving higher status to Subhendu Adhikari is also a strong message to the Namasudra (Matua) and Rajvanshi communities of North Bengal that BJP is committed to non-Bhadralok leadership and understands their aspirations.
The raga of fanatic Hindutva, ‘Jai Shri Ram’ was made the battle of Bengal.
Till a few years ago, BJP was considered an outsider party in Bengal, but Shubhendu Adhikari linked Hindutva with “local Bengali identity”. He did not let the assembly elections be just a fight to replace Mamata government but made it a fight of “Bengali Hindu identity versus appeasement”. The result was that a huge wave of Hindutva was created in the state, the effect of which was also seen in Malda, Murshidabad and border areas, where tremendous polarization of Hindu votes was seen.
BJP wanted a ‘commander’, not just a leader
In Bengal, the BJP had no grassroots machinery of its own that could counter TMC’s “vigorous” booth-level network. Whereas BJP was looking for a face who could fight on the streets, understand street politics, compete boldly in the field and create holes in the entrenched politics of TMC. Shubhendu played this role well. He brought with him from TMC a ready-made organizational structure, called the “Dadagiri” network, which his family had nurtured in Purba Medinipur for decades. Shubhendu Adhikari enabled BJP to do this with his skillful ability.
the one who defeated Mamta twice
Signs and symbols matter a lot in politics. In this fight, Shubhendu emerged as Mamata’s alternative as he defeated TMC chief and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in two consecutive assembly elections. In 2021, Shubhendu defeated Mamta on Nandigram seat and this time in 2026, Shubhendu defeated Mamta on Bhabanipur seat. By giving such a defeat to Mamta, he has proved himself to be a joint killer and also gave the message that TMC is not invincible.