West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari is set to visit the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) headquarters on Monday, 16 June 2025, to inaugurate a six-day citywide sanitation campaign titled 'Welcome to Cleanliness', ahead of the International Day of Yoga on 21 June. The drive will span all 144 wards of Kolkata and conclude on 20 June, dovetailing with large-scale Yoga Day preparations across the city.

Cross-Party Outreach Marks a First

In an unusual move, the KMC has extended formal invitations to all former councillors regardless of political affiliation — a step that civic officials describe as the first of its kind for such a programme. Legislators from both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) representing Kolkata constituencies have also been invited. Former Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim is among those who have received an invitation.

Sources indicate that former councillors Debashis Kumar and Asim Basu are expected to attend. However, a handful of sitting councillors who had previously backed efforts to identify an alternative mayor following Hakim's resignation are reportedly likely to skip the event.

Adhikari's First Official Visit to Municipal Hall

This will mark Adhikari's first appearance at the Municipal Hall as Chief Minister for an official KMC programme — a visit that civic officials say could represent a notable moment in the corporation's administrative history, given that no Chief Minister has attended a government function at the venue in recent years. Extensive preparations have reportedly been underway since Saturday, 14 June. BJP municipal representatives, led by MLA and councillor Sajal Ghosh, are expected to receive the Chief Minister at the venue.

During the event, Adhikari is expected to address civic officials, elected representatives, and guests, and is also likely to outline the state government's development agenda and forthcoming civic initiatives to be executed through the KMC.

Campaign Scope and Civic Focus

The 'Welcome to Cleanliness' drive will cover all 144 wards of Kolkata, with an emphasis on improving sanitation infrastructure and public hygiene standards ahead of the city's Yoga Day events. State Municipal Affairs Minister Agnimitra Paul has separately launched a dedicated mobile application to track and support cleanliness initiatives across West Bengal, and the KMC campaign is expected to complement that digital monitoring effort.

Modi's Kolkata Visit Adds National Weight

The cleanliness campaign also sets the stage for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Kolkata on 21 June for the International Day of Yoga celebrations. Modi is scheduled to participate in the main event on Red Road, with ancillary Yoga Day programmes planned across the city. The convergence of the sanitation drive and the Prime Minister's visit lends the initiative an added layer of political and civic significance, particularly as West Bengal prepares to host a nationally prominent event.