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With BJP set to storm to power in Bengal, who will be the next CM? A look at the front-runners

West Bengal Election Result 2026: From LoP Suvendu Adhikari, once one of Mamata Banerjee’s close associates, to current state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya and former state chief Dilip Ghosh, the party has several names to choose from.

3 min readKolkataUpdated: May 5, 2026 12:20 AM IST

The front-runner by all accounts is Mamata’s one-time lieutenant, whose defection to the BJP in December 2020, just months before the 2021 elections, had come as a big blow to the TMC chairperson. Back then, Suvendu had created a splash by defeating Mamata in Nandigram, where an anti-land acquisition movement had played a big role in propelling the party to power in 2011.

The front-runner by all accounts is Mamata’s one-time lieutenant, whose defection to the BJP in December 2020, had come as a big blow to the TMC chairperson. (File)

West Bengal Election Result 2026: With the BJP set to win West Bengal for the first time, the focus will now slowly shift to who the CM face will be. In the run-up to the elections, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had repeatedly emphasised that a Bengali would be the CM of the state in an attempt to counter the TMC’s narrative of the party being one of “bohiragotos (outsiders)”.

Suvendu Adhikari

The front-runner by all accounts is Mamata’s one-time lieutenant, whose defection to the BJP in December 2020, just months before the 2021 elections, had come as a big blow to the TMC chairperson. Back then, Suvendu had created a splash by defeating Mamata in Nandigram, where an anti-land acquisition movement had played a big role in propelling the party to power in 2011.

Though the party failed to get to power, finishing with 77 seats, Suvendu ended up with the LoP’s post and, for the following five years, aggressively took on the CM and the TMC inside the House. Adhikari, who started his political career in student politics with the Congress at the time the Left was at its peak, was Mamata’s right-hand man during the Nandigram movement, marshalling the TMC forces there during the agitation.

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“After the defeat in 2021, everybody thought the BJP would get washed out. But at the time, Suvendu Adhikari held the fort, dealt with the post-poll violence that damaged the party’s organisation in several districts, and stood by party workers. He naturally emerged as a face of the BJP and became a leader across the state, rather than only Purba Medinipur.”

Samik Bhattacharya

An old-time RSS worker and seen as a moderate face in the mould of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Samik Bhattacharya has been in the state BJP since the time it was a marginal player in state politics and is the first elected BJP MLA in the state, getting elected from Basirhat Dakshin in a 2014 by-election. If the BJP opts for a Bengali bhadralok face, Bhattacharya will be one of the options.

Swapan Dasgupta

A former journalist, Dasgupta involved himself in the BJP’s day-to-day affairs in Bengal before the 2021 Assembly elections. Another bhadralok face of the state BJP, Dasgupta is also close to the central leadership of the BJP. His relative administrative inexperience is a drawback.

Dilip Ghosh

The former state BJP president who helped establish and grow the party starting in 2016, when he was the party’s three MLAs, Ghosh is a popular figure. Under him, the party won 18 out of 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in 2019, in what remains its best performance in the Lok Sabha elections to date. Ghosh drifted away from the party after the party’s loss in 2021 and then the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, but was brought back into the ranks this January after Union Home Minister Amit Shah met him. He is set to win from his Kharagpur Sadar seat.

Sukanta Majumder

Another former state BJP president, Majumder is now a Union Minister in the Narendra Modi-led Cabinet. He could be the choice if the party wants a face from north Bengal, its stronghold, to take the top post.

Atri Mitra

Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain. Experience Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express. Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news. Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions. Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal. Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla. Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent. Education Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting. Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University. Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur. Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read More

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