Suvendu Adhikari, who took oath as the BJP’s first West Bengal Chief Minister today, has inducted five ministers in the state cabinet. The legislators who will serve in Adhikari’s cabinet include: Dilip Ghosh, Agnimitra Paul, Nisith Pramanik, Kshudiram Tudu, and Ashok Kirtania. LIVE UPDATES
The five ministers took the oath in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, among other top dignitaries.
A look at the five ministers:
Dilip Ghosh
Dilip Ghosh is a veteran BJP leader and former state party president. Originally associated with the RSS as a full-time campaigner, Ghosh played a major role in expanding the BJP’s grassroots network in Bengal after 2014.
He was the Member of Parliament representing the Medinipur constituency in the Lok Sabha.
Agnimitra Paul
Agnimitra Paul is a fashion designer-turned-politician, and the only woman minister in the BJP’s Bengal cabinet so far.
She joined the BJP in 2019. A year later, Paul became the state president of Mahila Morcha, succeeding Locket Chatterjee. In 2021, she was appointed the General Secretary of the BJP in Bengal.
In the 2021 Assembly elections, Paul defeated Trinamool Congress’ Saayoni Ghosh from the Asansol Dakshin seat. Later in 2022, she contested the Lok Sabha by-elections from the Asansol constituency, but lost to actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha. She also lost from the Medinipur constituency to actor-politician June Malia in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Paul was appointed the vice-president of the BJP Bengal earlier this year.
In the recently held elections, she won from the Asansol Dakshin Assembly constituency.
Ashok Kirtania
Ashok Kirtania is a BJP MLA from Bangaon Uttar in North 24 Paraganas – a Matua-influenced political belt of Bengal.
He comes from a background in business and local organisational politics.
Kshudiram Tudu
Kshudiram Tudu is a tribal leader from the Bankura district – representing Ranibandh, a tribal-dominated constituency in Jungle Mahal.
BJP has used leaders like him to strengthen its tribal outreach in West Bengal.
Nisith Pramanik
Nisith Pramanik is one of the BJP’s strongest young leaders from North Bengal.
He was a member of the Trinamool Congress before joining the BJP in 2019.
In July 2021, he was appointed as the Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of State, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in the PM Modi government – becoming the youngest minister at the age of 35.
Pramanik represents the Rajbanshi and North Bengal political base – known for strong youth appeal and organisational influence.
The maximum size of the council of ministers in the West Bengal cabinet is 44 – having the space for the induction of 39 more ministers.