Suvendu Adhikari: From Mamata's Aide to Controversial West Bengal CM Amid Communal Rhetoric

After defeating Mamata Banerjee in the West Bengal Assembly elections, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari made several communal remarks. He claimed that Muslims largely supported Banerjee while Hindus and other communities backed him. He described the election result as a "victory for Hindutva." Adhikari took oath as Chief Minister after the BJP won a historic victory in the state.

Adhikari has long faced criticism for remarks described as Islamophobic and communally polarising. He stated that Muslims voted for Banerjee because she wears a hijab. He also said Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists blessed him and made him win. During a media interaction, he suggested that Hindu voters backed the BJP while Muslim voters supported the Trinamool Congress.

Over the years, Adhikari has repeatedly drawn criticism for controversial statements. He once called to "throw Muslim MLAs out" of the Assembly if the BJP came to power. In December 2025, he said India should "teach Bangladesh a lesson like Israel taught Gaza." This statement was widely criticised as a genocidal call.

In 2024, Adhikari argued that the BJP should abandon the slogan "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas." He claimed that Muslims do not vote for the BJP. Instead, he proposed a new slogan that critics said reflected exclusionary political messaging. In July 2025, he advised Bengalis to avoid travelling to Muslim-majority areas, especially in Kashmir.

Back in 2021, the Election Commission issued him a notice over a speech where he allegedly referred to his opponent as "Begum." He suggested that voting for her would mean voting for a "mini-Pakistan." He also faced criticism for remarks alleging that medicines at a Trinamool-run medical camp could lead to birth control and reduce the Hindu population.

During the 2026 election campaign, he was accused of making divisive remarks linking development benefits to religious identity. In Nandigram, he warned Muslim migrant workers from other states about facing consequences. He has frequently referred to "Bangladeshi Muslim intruders" and demanded their removal from voter rolls. Critics have accused him of deepening communal polarisation through his rhetoric.

Suvendu Adhikari was once a close aide of Mamata Banerjee before their political fallout. He began his career with the Indian National Congress before joining the Trinamool Congress. Born in 1970 into an influential political family, he rose through state politics before shifting to the BJP. The BJP won 207 of West Bengal's 294 Assembly seats, ending Banerjee's 15-year rule.

Following her defeat, Mamata Banerjee alleged large-scale irregularities and claimed more than 100 seats were "looted." She accused the Election Commission of bias and called the outcome an "immoral victory." She asserted that her party would bounce back from this loss.