NEW DELHI: Will Suvendu Adhikari be the next chief minister of West Bengal? The question has gained momentum after a dramatic electoral setback for long-serving CM Mamata Banerjee, as the Bharatiya Janata Party surged far ahead in the assembly polls.The BJP decisively outpaced the Trinamool Congress, emerging as the new power centre in Bengal with a commanding majority of over 200 seats.Once a close aide of Mamata, turncoat Suvendu, now a key BJP leader, once again proved his “giantkiller” reputation by defeating her in Bhabanipur, long considered her stronghold. The Bhabanipur victory carries added weight given his earlier triumph over her in Nandigram during the 2021 assembly elections, where he edged out Mamata in a high-stakes contest.In 2021, despite Adhikari’s win, the BJP secured only 77 of 294 seats, though it emerged as the principal opposition for the first time in the state. This time, however, the scale of the BJP’s victory has dramatically altered the political landscape.With the saffron party now in a dominant position, the spotlight is firmly on whether it will reward its key asset and face in Bengal by entrusting him with the chief minister’s post.
