Kolkata, May 9: Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the swearing-in ceremony of West Bengal’s new Chief Minister, Suvendu Adhikari, where he sought the blessings of senior BJP leader Makhanlal Sarkar.
Upon arriving in Kolkata for the ceremony, PM Modi greeted thousands of BJP workers and supporters from an open jeep alongside Suvendu Adhikari and state party president Samik Bhattacharya. The Brigade Parade Ground was adorned in saffron, with numerous artists performing to the beat of traditional drums.
After the jeep ride, PM Modi took to the stage, where he interacted with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, other central ministers, and chief ministers from BJP-ruled states. He honored Makhanlal Sarkar by presenting him with a shawl and receiving his blessings.
At 98 years old, Makhanlal Sarkar is one of the early grassroots leaders associated with the nationalist movement in post-independence India. He was arrested in 1952 during the movement to hoist the Indian flag in Kashmir alongside Syama Prasad Mukherjee.
Following the establishment of the BJP in 1980, he was appointed as the organizational coordinator for the districts of West Dinajpur, Jalpaiguri, and Darjeeling. Within a year, he successfully connected around 10,000 individuals to the party.
From 1981, he served as the district president for seven consecutive years, a significant achievement at the time, as BJP leaders typically do not hold the same organizational position for more than two years.
Earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced Suvendu Adhikari’s name as the leader of the BJP legislative party during a parliamentary meeting. Subsequently, Adhikari formally claimed to form the new government before Governor R.N. Ravi at Lok Bhawan.
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