CM Suvendu bows on Assembly steps, take oath as Bhabanipur MLA; leaves Nandigram seat

In a deeply symbolic gesture reminiscent of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s entry into Parliament in 2014, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari knelt and bowed on the steps of the State Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, May 13. Before entering the building, Adhikari removed his shoes as a mark of respect for the "temple of democracy".

Having performed a personal puja at his residence earlier in the morning, the Chief Minister arrived at the Assembly to formally take his oath as the Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for the Bhabanipur constituency. The oath was administered by the newly sworn-in Pro-tem Speaker, Tapas Roy, marking a pivotal moment in the two-day ceremony where a total of 290 MLAs are scheduled to be sworn in.

By taking the oath for Bhabanipur, Adhikari has effectively chosen to vacate the Nandigram seat, a stronghold where he had also secured a victory in the 2026 General Assembly elections. During his recent victory rallies, Adhikari had stated that the BJP central leadership would make the final determination on which constituency he would represent. His choice to retain Bhabanipur—the former seat of outgoing CM Mamata Banerjee—signals a strategic move to establish his presence in the heart of Kolkata.