www.thestatesman.com India’s National Newspaper since 1818 | Pages 16 | | FOLLOW US: ` 5.00 | @TheStatesmanLtd KOLKATA | @thestatesmanltd NEW DELHI People’s Parliament, Always in Session thestatesman1875 | MUMBAI | BHUBANESWAR | LUCKNOW | SILIGURI | 10 May 2026 Suvendu Adhikari Dilip Ghosh Agnimitra Paul Ashok Kirtania Kshudiram Tudu Nishit Pramanik Chief Minister, West Bengal Minister, WB Minister, WB Minister, WB Minister, WB Minister, WB From Congress activist to TMC strongman and BJP’s Bengal face, he led Nandigram protests, defeated Mamata Banerjee in 2021, and became CM after BJP’s historic victory. Veteran BJP organiser and former state president, began as an RSS pracharak, expanded BJP’s Bengal grassroots after 2014, and is known for aggressive Hindutva politics and organisational control. Fashion designer-turnedpolitician, joined BJP in 2019 after a successful fashion career, served as Bengal BJP Mahila Morcha president, and has represented Asansol Dakshin as MLA since 2021. BJP MLA from Bangaon Uttar in North 24-Parganas, hails from Bengal’s Matua belt, has roots in business and local politics, and represents the influential Matua voter base. Tribal BJP leader from Bankura district, represents the tribaldominated Ranibandh constituency in Junglemahal, and has been projected by BJP to strengthen its tribal outreach in western Bengal. One of BJP’s strongest young leaders from North Bengal, former Union Minister, joined BJP from TMC in 2019, and commands significant Rajbanshi, youth, and organisational influence in the region. Suvendu Adhikari sworn in as Bengal CM RAJIB CHAKRABORTY Kolkata, 9 May I n a historic political shift in West Bengal, senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday took oath as the state’s first Bharatiya Janata Party Chief Minister at a grand ceremony held at Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata, attended by the top leadership of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the swearing-in ceremony along with Union home minister Amit Shah, defence minister Rajnath Singh, BJP national president J. P. Nadda and Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Several chief ministers of BJP-ruled states and NDA allies also attended the event, underlining the political significance of the BJP’s victory in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. Among those present were Yogi Aditynath, Himanta Biswa Sarma, Manik Saha, Rekha Gupta, Pushkar Singh Dhami, Devendra Fadnavis, Mohan Charan Majhi and Samrat Choudhary. The ceremony marked a watershed moment in Bengal politics as, for the first time since 1977, the same political formation assumed power both at the Centre and in the state. Political obser vers described the presence of a large number of Union ministers and chief ministers in Kolkata as unprecedented in recent decades. Mr Adhikari, who won from both Nandigram and Bhowanipore Assembly constituencies, later announced a five-member Cabinet representing different regions and social groups of the state. The Cabinet includes former state BJP president Dilip Ghosh, MLA Agnimitra Paul, Matua leader Ashok Kirtania, tribal face Khudiram Tudu and BJP leader Nisith Pramanik. After Mr Adhikari took oath, Dilip Ghosh was sworn in, followed by Agnimitra Paul, Ashok Kirtania, Kshudiram Tudu ED arrests Punjab minister Sanjeev Arora in money laundering case Modi offers ‘Sashtanga Pranam’ to people of Bengal at BJP government’s oath ceremony STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Kolkata, 9 May STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Chandigarh, 9 May The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Punjab Cabinet Minister Sanjeev Arora in connection with a highprofile money laundering case following a series of raids conducted at his official residence and other locations. The arrest came after nearly ten hours of questioning at his Sector 2 residence in Chandigarh on Saturday. Following the interrogation, ED officials took the AAP leader to Delhi in a convoy of vehicles for further questioning, where he is expected to remain in custody overnight. The central agency’s investigation pertains to alleged financial irregularities amounting to ₹157.12 crore involving fictitious mobile phone transactions and bogus exports through shell companies. According to ED officials, Arora allegedly used these entities for the round-tripping of funds from Dubai to India. The agency has further alleged that multiple fake GST purchase bills were generated through non-existent firms based in Delhi to fraudulently claim Input Tax Credit (ITC), GST refunds and duty drawbacks, causing significant losses to the exchequer while generating illegal financial gains. The arrest triggered a major political confrontation, with AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal accusing the Narendra Modi government of misusing investigative agencies to target Opposition parties instead of focusing on genuine cases of corruptionandmoneylaundering. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also alleged that the raids were aimed at pressuring opposition leaders into joining the BJP, which he described as the “Bharat Jalao Party”. However, the reference to defected MP Raghav Chadha taking a contradictory stand against his own party appears unverified and requires independent confirmation. • Details on Page 3 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday performed a “sashtanga pranam” before the people of West Bengal at the Brigade Parade Ground during the oath-taking ceremony of the state’s first BJP government. Though Modi did not deliver any speech at the event, he instead chose to bow before the people in a symbolic gesture of respect. After stepping onto the stage, Modi first paid floral tribute to Rabindranath Tagore and folded his hands before the poet’s portrait. The ceremony coincided with Rabindra Jayanti on the 25th day of Baishakh, and political observers said the date for the swearing-in was chosen keeping the occasion in mind. Moments later, the Prime Minister walked to the centre of the stage facing the crowd, knelt down and then lay prostrate in a full “sashtanga pranam”.Sharing the video later on social media, Modi wrote: “I bow before the people’s power of West Bengal.” The BJP secured a historic mandate in the 294-member West Bengal Assembly, winning 207 seats in the elections held for 293 constituencies. It marks the first time the BJP has formed a government in the state. The victory carries special political significance for the party as West Bengal is the home state of Syama Prasad Mookerjee, founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the BJP’s ideological predecessor. Modi had earlier celebrated the BJP’s victory in Bengali attire, wearing a dhoti and kurta while addressing party workers from Delhi after the results were declared. He again highlighted the emotional importance of the victory by publicly bowing before the people of the state on Saturday. The Prime Minister arrived at Kolkata airport shortly after 10 am and travelled by helicopter to the Race Course before proceeding by car to Brigade Parade Ground. He later entered the venue in an open-top vehicle alongside West Bengal BJP president Shamik Bhattacharya and Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. Massive crowds gathered at Brigade for the swearing-in ceremony, with Modi waving to supporters as he reached the stage. PM Modi highlights 11 years of social security reforms as welfare schemes expand nationwide STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 9 May The Centre’s flagship insurance and pension programmes have significantly strengthened financial security for millions of Indians, with the government marking 11 years since the rollout of major welfare initiatives under the NDA administration. In a post on social media platform X, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) and the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) symbolised the government’s commitment to providing “dignity, assurance and financial security” to citizens, especially the poor and vulnerable. “On this day, 11 years ago, key social security and pension schemes were launched by the NDA Government. They reflect our commitment to bring dignity, assurance and financial security into the lives of the people of India,” the Prime Minister said. Highlighting the reach of the two schemes, Modi noted that their impact had been widely felt at the grassroots level. “This thread highlights that the PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana and PM Suraksha Bima Yojana have had a positive impact at the grassroots,” he added. Launched on May 9, 2015, PMJJBY and PMSBY were introduced as part of the Centre’s broader financial inclusion push linked to the Jan Dhan initiative. The schemes aimed to provide affordable life and accident insurance to low-income households and workers in the unorganised sector who previously lacked access to formal social security coverage. Under PMJJBY, individuals aged 18 to 50 receive life insurance coverage of Rs 2 lakh in the event of death from any cause, for a nominal annual premium. PMSBY offers accidental death and disability coverage of Rs 2 lakh for people aged 18 to 70 at a low yearly premium. Alongside initiatives such as the Atal Pension Yojana, these schemes have been promoted by the Modi government as central pillars of its welfare and financial inclusion framework. Over the years, government data has shown growing enrolment, particularly in rural regions, supported by extensive outreach through public sector banks and financial institutions. The Prime Minister’s remarks come as the NDA government highlights its welfare and social sector achievements ahead of completing the first year of its third term in office. and Nisith Pramanik. The composition of the ministry reflects the BJP’s attempt to maintain a regional and social balance in the new government. While Kirtania is regarded as a prominent Matua representative from south Bengal, Khudiram Tudu is considered an important tribal face from the Junglemahal region. Two ministers have been inducted from north Bengal and three from south Bengal. The swearing-in ceremony turned Brigade Parade Ground into a virtual congregation of NDA leaders from across the country. Apart from BJP leaders, allies of the ruling coalition at the Centre also attended the programme. Senior BJP leaders described the development as the beginning of a “new political chapter” in Bengal. Party workers celebrated across several districts after Mr Adhikari was unanimously elected leader of the BJP Legislature Party on Friday. The BJP’s ascent to power in Bengal is being viewed as one of the party’s most significant electoral breakthroughs in eastern India. The grand scale of Saturday’s ceremony, coupled with the presence of the NDA’s top leadership, signalled the importance the party leadership is attaching to the state, which has long remained politically crucial in national politics. • Related report: Page 3 Congress conducts Delhi talks to choose Kerala CM Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress leadership has initiated crucial discussions in Delhi to finalise the party’s choice for the Chief Minister’s post in Kerala following the UDF’s emphatic victory in the Assembly elections. Senior Congress leaders, including Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan, KPCC President Sunny Joseph, Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala and AICC Organisation General Secretary K.C. Venugopal, are currently in the national capital for consultations with the party high command. Sources within the party said the central leadership has begun detailed deliberations with senior leaders and key contenders as part of efforts to arrive at a consensus on the leadership issue. The discussions are also aimed at ensuring unity within the state unit and balancing various organisational interests. TVK crosses final hurdle for majority, secures IUML’s, VCK’s unconditional support for forming ‘Vijay Sarkar’ STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Chennai, 9 May Crossing the final hurdle for a majority and putting an end to the uncertainty persisting over government formation in Tamil Nadu, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) on Saturday secured the unconditional support of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and that of the IUML for ‘Vijay Sarkar’. For the fourth time in succession within four days, TVK founder Chandrasekhar Joseph Vijay, armed with the letters of support, called on Governor Vishwanath Rajendra Arlekar and staked his claim to form the next government. He was accompanied by leaders of all five parties supporting the TVK, including AICC in- charge Girich Chodankar, TNCC president K Selvaperunthagai, CPI-M state secretary P Shanmugam and party MP, Su Venkatesan and Vanni Arau of VCK. Representatives of CPI and IUML were also present. In a brief order, Governor VR Arlekar appointed Mr Vijay as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. He is set to take oath on Sunday at 10 a.m. Together with Vijay, nine other ministers are being sworn in at the event being held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium. Among the nine ministers taking the oath are TVK general secretaries ‘Bussy’ N Anand, Aadhav Arjuna, KA Sengottaiyan, a former AIADMK minister, and former IRS officer Arun Raj. From the Congress stable, Tharagai Cuthbert and P Viswanathan are likely to join the Cabinet. The Congress may get one more ministerial berth. This would be the first time since 1967 that the Congress is directly joining the government in Tamil Nadu. The Governor has directed the Chief Minister-designate to seek a vote of confidence on or before 13 May, while the newly elected MLAs would be sworn on Monday. Earlier, the Lok Bhavan had declined to give Mr Vijay an appointment on the excuse that the Governor was leaving for Thiruvananthapuram by 7 p.m, forcing him to return home. Later, however, the Governor cancelled his Kerala trip and Mr Vijay returned to Lok Bhavan. With both the VCK and IUML extending outside sup- port, close on the heels of the CPI and CPI-M taking the lead in backing the TVK, Mr Vijay now has the support of 120 legislators in a 234-member House, two more than 118 required for a majority. It was the apprehension of President’s rule being imposed that forced the parties to line up behind the TVK. Also, the effort by the DMK and the AIADMK to prop up a coalition government had fallen through as the Left parties had torpedoed it. On a day of fast-paced political developments, the VCK announced its decision, putting an end to its ambivalence, offering the letter of support in the evening. The IUML, which had claimed only yesterday that it was not offering support, but merely asking the Governor to ensure a stable government, also fell in line and gave the letter pledging unconditional support. Interestingly, this development comes hours after nearly 30 newly elected AIADMK legislators had a conclave at the residence of former minister C. Ve. Shanmugam, which was seen as a move to team up with the TVK by breaking ranks with party general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS). Significantly, it was the VCK’s decision which was keenly awaited as Thirumavalavan had postponed the announcement since yesterday, while initially maintaining that a decision in tune with the Left parties would be taken.