West Bengal Cabinet Expansion 1st June

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. File | Photo credit: PTI

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari is likely to expand his cabinet on June 1 (Monday) and allot key portfolios to senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders.

According to state administration sources, the first BJP cabinet in the state is likely to have more than 30 members whose names will be announced after formal approval from the party’s central leadership.

After a landslide victory in the West Bengal Assembly elections, Mr Adhikari and five other BJP MLAs – Dilip Ghosh, Agnimitra Paul, Ashok Kirtania, Nisith Pramanik and Kshudiram Tudu – were sworn in as ministers by Governor RN Ravi on May 9.

Selection criteria

Now that the cabinet is being expanded, senior BJP leaders like Tapas Roy, Sankar Ghosh and Swapan Dasgupta are also likely to be included. Former Barrackpore MP Arjun Singh and senior BJP leader Ritesh Tewari are also among the other top contenders.

Along with seniority, the BJP is likely to consider regional and community representation, especially to ensure that Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and women are included. The cabinet is also likely to include representatives from north and south-west Bengal, areas ignored by many previous governments. Most of the BJP MLAs are first-time legislators, so political and administrative experience will also be crucial in the selection of ministers.

Mr. Adhikari also announced that the budget session of the West Bengal Assembly will begin on June 22, which will see the first full budget of the new BJP government. Speculation is rife whether the finance portfolio will be given to an elected MLA or whether the BJP will bring in an economist to handle the state’s finances, which are under pressure due to cash transfer schemes introduced by the previous Trinamool Congress regime.

Published – 30 May 2026 22:15 IST