A total of 35 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs were sworn in as ministers at Lok Bhavan in Kolkata on Monday, 1 June, completing the cabinet expansion under Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari in West Bengal. The newly inducted ministers described the occasion as a historic turning point, pledging to fulfil public aspirations and rebuild 'Sonar Bangla' as their foremost priority.

Ministers Describe the Occasion

BJP leader Dipak Barman called the swearing-in 'a unique experience,' saying Chief Minister Adhikari had placed trust in the new team. 'My only effort and prayer now are that I should live up to this responsibility and meet the expectations placed upon me,' Barman said.

BJP leader Ajay Kumar Poddar framed the cabinet's formation as the fulfilment of a long-held vision. 'It was our lifelong dream to be able to pay tribute to Syama Prasad Mukherjee by carrying forward his vision. Fulfilling the aspirations of the people and rebuilding 'Sonar Bangla' is our priority,' he said, adding that the task would require cooperation from all citizens.

Rebuilding Over the Ruins — What Ministers Said

BJP MLA Swapan Dasgupta compared the present moment to clearing rubble before construction can begin. 'When you come across a devastated area, first you have to clear the rubble and then move on to building something constructive. What you have seen so far is essentially a clearing operation. The real building process is yet to begin,' he said.

BJP leader Tapas Roy acknowledged the scale of the challenge, noting that 'over the last 15 years, much of what had been built was either damaged or neglected.' Roy added: 'Bringing the state back on track and taking it forward will be a very difficult task. This is the challenge that we have to undertake.'

BJP leader Dudh Kumar Mondal made a pointed reference to the political shift, saying the influence of Anubrata Mondal — a prominent Trinamool Congress figure — was now over across West Bengal and that 'the people are now standing with the BJP.'

Centre-State Alignment and 'Viksit Bharat' Vision

Union Minister of State Shantanu Thakur expressed confidence that the new state government would operate in alignment with the Centre's development agenda. 'The newly-formed government has the goal of achieving a developed India, as envisioned by the Prime Minister. The aim is to build a 'Viksit Bharat'. When India becomes developed, West Bengal will not be left behind,' he said.

BJP MLA Anandamay Barman stressed the importance of last-mile delivery of welfare schemes. 'All the schemes of the Central Government as well as those of the West Bengal Government should reach common people at the grassroots level. This is our priority,' he said, invoking the principle of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas'.

Strong Mandate and What Comes Next

Rajya Sabha MP Harsh Vardhan Shringla said the government had come to power on a strong mandate for change. 'Even when there were only five ministers, significant work had already been undertaken. Now that the full 35-member Cabinet is in place, portfolios are likely to be announced soon, allowing the government to move ahead at a faster pace,' he said.

BJP MP Raju Bista noted that the people of West Bengal had been waiting for the full cabinet expansion for over a month since the BJP government was formed. BJP MP Jagannath Sarkar said the singular objective remained to transform Bengal into 'Sonar Bangla,' mirroring the national trajectory under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Rajya Sabha MP Anant Maharaj was optimistic, saying simply: 'The government has been formed very well, and the direction is also correct. Everything will change.' With portfolio allocations expected imminently, the new cabinet is set to begin its full legislative and administrative work in the days ahead.