Kolkata Police unfollow Mamata, Abhishek on X after Suvendu Adhikari sworn in as CM
Synopsis
Within hours of Suvendu Adhikari's swearing-in as West Bengal's first BJP Chief Minister, the Kolkata Police's official X account quietly unfollowed Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee — and began following Modi, Amit Shah, and the new CM. It is a small but telling signal of how swiftly institutional alignments can shift after a political transition.
Key Takeaways
Kolkata Police unfollowed Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee on X on 9 May , following Suvendu Adhikari's swearing-in as West Bengal CM.
The official Kolkata Police X account now follows 42 accounts , including PM Modi , Amit Shah , the PMO , and the new Chief Minister.
BJP won 207 seats in the West Bengal Assembly elections, results declared on 4 May .
The swearing-in was held at Brigade Parade Grounds , attended by senior Union Ministers and BJP Chief Ministers.
Five cabinet ministers also took oath; portfolios are yet to be announced.
CM Adhikari visited Jorasanko post-ceremony to pay tribute to Rabindranath Tagore on his birth anniversary.
The official Kolkata Police X account on Saturday, 9 May unfollowed former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Abhishek Banerjee shortly after Suvendu Adhikari was sworn in as the ninth Chief Minister of West Bengal. The social media shift — visible to the public within hours of the ceremony — marked a symbolic transition of institutional alignment in the state.
The Social Media Shift
The Kolkata Police's official X account now follows 42 accounts, which include Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), newly sworn-in Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and his office. The accounts of Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee are no longer on that list. Notably, Mamata's own X handle and Facebook page continued to display her identity as Chief Minister of West Bengal until at least 12 noon on 9 May, before being updated to simply read Mamata Banerjee following the swearing-in.
The Swearing-In Ceremony
In a grand ceremony held at Brigade Parade Grounds in Kolkata, Suvendu Adhikari — who won the West Bengal Assembly elections from both the Nandigram and Bhabanipur constituencies — took oath as the state's ninth Chief Minister. The event was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, several Union Ministers, Chief Ministers of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-governed states, and BJP national president Nitin Nabin, among other dignitaries. Five cabinet ministers also took oath alongside Adhikari, though their portfolios are yet to be announced.
BJP's Historic Win in West Bengal
The results of the West Bengal Assembly elections were declared on Monday, 4 May, with the BJP winning 207 seats to form the first BJP government in the state's history. The victory ended the long rule of Mamata Banerjee and the TMC, reshaping the political landscape of one of India's most politically contested states. This comes amid a broader national consolidation of BJP influence across eastern India.
Adhikari's First Act as Chief Minister
Following the swearing-in ceremony, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari visited Jorasanko to pay tribute to Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore on his birth anniversary — a gesture widely seen as an effort to signal cultural continuity and outreach in the new administration's early hours. Portfolio allocations for the cabinet are expected to be announced in the coming days.
Point of View
But it carries outsized symbolic weight — institutional social media is rarely accidental in India's highly politicised governance culture. The speed of the update suggests either pre-planned coordination or a rapid read of the new power structure. What it underscores is a broader pattern: in Indian states, police forces and bureaucracies tend to recalibrate their public-facing posture almost immediately after a change of government, and West Bengal — where the relationship between the police and the ruling party has historically been especially close — is unlikely to be an exception. The real question is whether this signals administrative realignment alone, or the beginning of a deeper institutional reorientation under the BJP's first West Bengal government.
NationPress
28 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Kolkata Police unfollow Mamata Banerjee on X?
The Kolkata Police official X account unfollowed Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee on 9 May, shortly after Suvendu Adhikari was sworn in as West Bengal's new Chief Minister. The account simultaneously began following PM Modi, Amit Shah, the PMO, and Adhikari himself, reflecting the change in state government.
Who is Suvendu Adhikari and how did he become CM?
Suvendu Adhikari is a BJP leader who won the West Bengal Assembly elections from both Nandigram and Bhabanipur constituencies. He was sworn in as the ninth Chief Minister of West Bengal on 9 May at Brigade Parade Grounds, after the BJP won 207 seats in elections whose results were declared on 4 May.
When were the West Bengal Assembly election results declared?
The West Bengal Assembly election results were declared on Monday, 4 May. The BJP won 207 seats, enabling it to form the first BJP government in the state's history.
What happened to Mamata Banerjee's social media profiles after the swearing-in?
Mamata Banerjee's X handle and Facebook page continued to show her designation as Chief Minister of West Bengal until at least 12 noon on 9 May, before being updated to simply read 'Mamata Banerjee' following Adhikari's swearing-in ceremony.
Who attended Suvendu Adhikari's swearing-in ceremony?
The ceremony at Brigade Parade Grounds was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, several Union Ministers, Chief Ministers of BJP-governed states, and BJP national president Nitin Nabin, among other dignitaries.
