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Suvendu Adhikari named West Bengal CM as BJP leverages Mamata loyalists for dominance
Politics
Published on 8 May 2026
BJP turned a rival insider into its key bridge
Suvendu Adhikari is set to become West Bengal’s next chief minister, highlighting BJP’s growing playbook in eastern India. Drawing parallels to Assam’s rise of Himanta Biswa Sarma, both leaders were insiders of rival parties before joining the BJP. The strategy: use influential defectors to break through entrenched regional politics and accelerate electoral gains.
- Suvendu Adhikari’s CM move signals BJP’s expanding eastern India momentum
- BJP’s approach mirrors Assam’s success with Himanta Biswa Sarma
- Former rival insiders became high-value assets for BJP
- Defector-driven strategy targets entrenched regional political networks
Read the full story at The Economic Times
This summarization was done by Beige for a story published on 
The Economic Times