Mamata calls for anti-BJP unity after Bengal poll rout, BJP's Adhikari sworn in
Synopsis
Hours after Suvendu Adhikari was sworn in as West Bengal's first-ever BJP Chief Minister — and after defeating Mamata Banerjee by over 15,000 votes at Bhabanipur — Banerjee called on Left, ultra-left, and all anti-BJP forces to unite under a single front, marking a dramatic pivot for a leader who had long kept rivals at arm's length.
Key Takeaways
Suvendu Adhikari was sworn in as West Bengal's ninth and first BJP Chief Minister on 9 May at Brigade Parade Ground, Kolkata .
Mamata Banerjee lost her own seat at Bhabanipur to Adhikari by a margin of over 15,000 votes .
Banerjee called on Left, ultra-left, students', youth, and NGO groups to form a united anti-BJP front.
CPI(M) state secretary Md Salim declined a direct response, quoting Rabindranath Tagore instead.
Banerjee announced she would be available at her office daily from 4 pm to 6 pm to coordinate the proposed front.
All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee on Saturday, 9 May issued a sweeping call for opposition unity against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in West Bengal, even as Suvendu Adhikari was sworn in as the state's ninth Chief Minister — and its first-ever BJP Chief Minister — at Brigade Parade Ground in central Kolkata. The call came hours after Banerjee herself suffered a personal defeat at Bhabanipur, where Adhikari beat her by a margin of over 15,000 votes.
Banerjee's Call for a United Front
While Adhikari's oath ceremony was under way, Banerjee was at her residence in Kalighat, south Kolkata, observing the birth anniversary of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore as per the Bengali calendar. At the close of the programme, she made her political appeal public.
Point of View
The TMC chief kept the Left at a deliberate distance, framing them as equally adversarial to the BJP. That calculation has now been upended by a landslide loss. The CPI(M)'s response — a Tagore couplet about mercy arriving only when life dries up — was pointed: it signals that the Left will not simply fold into a Banerjee-led front without extracting a political price. Whether this call translates into a durable coalition or remains a reactive gesture will define the shape of Bengal's opposition politics for the next five years.
NationPress
12 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Suvendu Adhikari and why is his swearing-in historic?
Suvendu Adhikari is a BJP leader who was sworn in as West Bengal's ninth Chief Minister on 9 May, making him the state's first-ever Chief Minister from the BJP. His oath ceremony took place at Brigade Parade Ground in central Kolkata after the BJP won the West Bengal Assembly elections.
Why did Mamata Banerjee call for anti-BJP unity?
Mamata Banerjee called for a united anti-BJP front after the Trinamool Congress suffered a landslide defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections. She also personally lost her Bhabanipur seat to Suvendu Adhikari by over 15,000 votes, prompting her to reach out even to longtime rivals like the CPI(M)-led Left Front.
Is the CPI(M) open to joining Mamata Banerjee's proposed united front?
CPI(M) Politburo member and West Bengal state secretary Md Salim did not give a direct answer to Banerjee's call. He instead quoted a Rabindranath Tagore verse — 'Come as the stream of mercy when life dries up' — widely interpreted as a pointed reference to Banerjee seeking allies only after her electoral defeat.
What did Mamata Banerjee say about post-poll violence in West Bengal?
Banerjee referred to alleged post-poll violence across the state, saying 'the thunder of post-poll violence is there everywhere,' and used it as a rallying point for students, youth organisations, and NGOs to join the proposed anti-BJP front.
How can political parties or groups join Mamata Banerjee's proposed front?
Banerjee announced she would be at her office every day from 4 pm to 6 pm for coordination, inviting Left, ultra-left, and any other national party to approach her directly. She described the BJP as her 'first enemy' and said anyone is welcome to join the united front.
