From Dilip Ghosh to Agnimitra Paul – What BJP’s first West Bengal cabinet looks like | India News
New Delhi: BJP leader Subvendu Adhikari was sworn in as the Chief Minister of West Bengal on Saturday.Prime Minister Narendra Modi And Union Ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, JP Nadda and Dharmendra Pradhan, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami were present at the swearing-in ceremony.The BJP won 207 seats in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, while the Trinamool Congress won 80 seats after ruling the state for 15 years.West Bengal recorded the highest voter turnout since independence, with a turnout of 91.66% in the second phase of the assembly elections. The first phase polled 93.19%, taking the combined voting percentage to 92.47%.Here is the list of sworn ministers:Dilip GhoshDilip Ghosh is a senior BJP leader and former state party president. Initially associated with the RSS as a full-time campaigner, he was instrumental in strengthening the BJP’s grassroots organization in West Bengal after 2014.He served as MP from Medinipur constituency in the Lok Sabha and was one of the prominent faces of the party in its political expansion in the state.Agnimitra PaulWest Bengal’s first BJP government has only one woman in its cabinet, and that is 51-year-old Agnimitra Paul, who was sworn in as a minister alongside Chief Minister Subvendu Adhikari on Friday.A two-time MLA from Asansol South and the BJP’s Bengal vice-president, Paul emerged as one of the party’s key women leaders during the 2026 assembly election campaign. He retained his seat by defeating TMC’s Tapas Banerjee by 40,000 votes, further strengthening his position in the state unit.Before entering politics in 2019, Paul was a well-known name in Kolkata’s fashion industry. She ran her label “Inga” and designed clothes for celebrities like Sridevi and Hema Malini. Her work often showcases the traditional crafts of Bengal, including Kantha embroidery, and has been featured on platforms such as Lakme Fashion Week.Born and raised in a middle-class family in Asansol, she studied botany before pursuing fashion technology and management. She later transitioned into politics, focusing on women’s empowerment and grassroots mobilization.Ashok KirtanyaAshok Kirtania is a BJP MLA representing Bangaon North in North 24 Parganas, an area strongly influenced by Matua politics in West Bengal.He is active in local organizational politics as well as business.Khudiram TuduKhudiram Tudu is a tribal leader from Bankura district, representing Ranibandh, a tribal dominated area of Jangalmahal region.The BJP has relied on leaders like him to strengthen its campaign among tribal communities in West Bengal.Niseeth is authenticNisith Pramanik is one of the prominent young leaders of BJP in North Bengal.He was associated with Trinamool Congress before joining BJP in 2019.In July 2021, he was appointed Minister of State for Home Affairs and Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports in the Modi government, making him one of the youngest ministers at the age of 35.Represents the authentic Rajvanshi community and the political base of North Bengal, known for its strong youth appeal and organizational influence.The maximum size of the West Bengal Council of Ministers is 44, with scope for inducting 39 more ministers.
