Overview
- Suvendu Adhikari took his oath as chief minister in the Assembly on Wednesday, when 156 MLAs and five new ministers were also sworn under pro-tem Speaker Tapas Roy.
- Before taking his seat, he bowed at the entrance, offered a puja in his chamber, rang a hand bell, and received a guard of honour after laying flowers at B.R. Ambedkar’s statue.
- The pro-tem speaker announced a machh-bhaat lunch (fish and rice) for all MLAs, which reporters said signaled a rebuttal to pre-poll claims the BJP would curb non-vegetarian food.
- Opposition TMC, Congress and the lone CPM MLA completed oaths alongside BJP members, as Aam Janata Unnayan Party leader Humayun Kabir handed out Bengali sweets and embraced the chief minister.
- Remaining oaths are scheduled for Thursday with the Speaker election on Friday, positioning the BJP’s first Bengal government to open its formal session next.