West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday unveiled the distribution of portfolios in the state's newly constituted BJP government, retaining control of several of the administration's most influential departments while assigning key responsibilities to senior party leaders and first-time ministers.
Adhikari has chosen to keep charge of home affairs, hill affairs, personnel and administrative reforms, land and land reforms, refugee relief and rehabilitation, power, and information and cultural affairs, signalling a strong grip over the government's core governance and security apparatus.
The finance department has been entrusted to Swapan Dasgupta, who secured victory from Kolkata's Rashbehari Assembly constituency. The allocation places one of the government's most important portfolios in the hands of a leader seen as a prominent policy voice within the BJP.
The chief minister had initially taken oath on May 9 alongside a small group of cabinet colleagues before expanding his ministry on June 1 with the induction of 35 additional members. The council of ministers now consists of 19 cabinet ministers, three ministers of state with independent charge, and 19 ministers of state.
Healthcare responsibilities have been assigned to Sharadwat Mukherjee, while former Union minister Nishith Pramanik will oversee the North Bengal Development and Water Resources departments. Senior BJP leader Dilip Ghosh has been given charge of Panchayats, Rural Development and Agricultural Marketing, portfolios that are expected to play a crucial role in the government's outreach to rural voters.
Agnimitra Paul has been appointed minister for Urban Development and Municipal Affairs, placing her at the centre of the state's urban infrastructure and civic governance agenda. Among ministers of state with independent charge, Indranil Khan will head the Youth Services and Sports Department along with Consumer Affairs.
The portfolio allocation marks the first major administrative step for the new BJP government as it begins setting priorities across governance, infrastructure, rural development and public services following its assumption of power in the state.