Adhikari keeps the reins, hands key roles to trusted faces

The CM has divided the education department between two leaders with longstanding links to the RSS

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari allocated portfolios to his ministerial colleagues on Wednesday, retaining the home department and other unassigned portfolios such as law and judicial affairs, land and land reforms, power, information and cultural affairs, refugee relief and rehabilitation, personnel and administrative reforms and hill affairs. Swapan Dasgupta, the former consulting editor of The Pioneer and MLA from Rashbehari Assembly constituency, was given charge of the finance portfolio, while Tapas Roy, who joined the BJP from the TMC in 2024, will head the industries and commerce department.

The party has assigned major portfolios, such as finance and industry, to experienced leaders, included regional representatives in the administration, and identified education as a key area of ideological focus after the TMC. The BJP-led State Government has divided the education department between two leaders with longstanding links to the RSS. This approach differs from the Union Government and most BJP-ruled States, where a single minister typically oversees both school and higher education.

The division of the education department follows the school recruitment scam that affected the previous TMC Government. The BJP has stated that schools and curriculum in the State require changes in management and a new ideological direction, including correction of historical narratives and greater emphasis on India’s civilisational heritage and nationalist traditions.

Jagannath Chattopadhyay, Suri MLA and former state BJP general secretary, was assigned the higher education department while Dipak Barman, a leader from North Bengal, will oversee school education department.

The distribution of departments, finalised after consultations between the State leadership and the BJP’s central command, reflects the party’s approach to balancing governance, organisation, and ideology in West Bengal.

Sharadwat Mukherjee, who is a doctor, was put in charge of the health department while BJP veteran Dudh Kumar Mondal will lead the agriculture department.

Gouri Shankar Ghosh, considered close to Adhikari, was given charge of tourism and parliamentary affairs and the backward classes welfare department, while Noapara MLA Arjun Singh was assigned labour and transport. Litician was given information technology and electronics, as well as science and technology, biotechnology, food processing, and horticulture. Manoj Kumar Oraon, a BJP leader from North Bengal, was made forest minister. Arup Kumar Das was given the irrigation and waterways department, while Ajoy Poddar will handle public health engineering.

Among the ministers of state with independent charge, Indranil Khan will oversee sports and youth affairs, as well as consumer affairs. Malati Rava Roy will handle women and child development, self-help groups, and project monitoring. Rajesh Mahata, a Kudmi leader from Jhargram, was made minister of state with independent charge for animal resources development and fisheries.