
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari s major Cabinet expansion on Monday saw the induction of several key leaders with RSS links into the new Council of Ministers. By filling key Cabinet slots with leaders who rose straight through the ranks of its parent body, the... Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s major Cabinet expansion on Monday saw the induction of several key leaders with RSS links into the new Council of Ministers. By filling key Cabinet slots with leaders who rose straight through the ranks of its parent body, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the BJP has firmly anchored the new government in the party’s ideology. For decades, these grassroots RSS workers operated quietly on the fringes of Bengal’s intense political landscape, building the party’s base block-by-block in tough border and rural areas. The new cabinet represents a mix of seasoned veterans who started in the 1970s and 80s, alongside qualified modern professionals who share the same ideological roots. The party has placed these battle-tested loyalists into key ministerial roles. Here’s a look at some RSS-turned-BJP leaders sworn-in in the new Cabinet: Spanning several decades and parties, Roy’s political journey started in 1996 when he was elected the Congress MLA from Vidyasagar. He then joined Mamata Banerjee’s then-newly formed TMC, securing legislative wins for the party in 2001, 2011, 2016, and 2021. He represented the Baranagar Assembly seat from 2011 to 2024, when he left the camp for the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, but lost the general elections to the TMC candidate. In the 2026 Assembly polls, Roy won the Maniktala seat for the BJP, defeating TMC’s Shreya Pande. Following his win, he briefly served as the pro-tem Speaker, before taking oath as a minister. Reflecting on his political career, Roy said his core aspiration was to end the TMC regime, remove Mamata Banerjee, and establish a BJP government in the state — a dream he feels has now been realised. A prominent face of the BJP in Birbhum politics, RSS worker Mondal’s political journey began in 1988, after which he was elected to multiple offices in the local bodies polls. Mondal contested his first Assembly poll from Mayureswar in 2011 but lost to CPI(M)’s Ashok Roy. He took charge as the BJP’s Birbhum chief in 2015, but faced subsequent defeats in the 2016 Assembly as well as the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. In the 2026 Assembly polls, Mondal finally won the Mayureswar Assembly seat. Speaking after taking oath on Monday, Mondal committed to executing the government’s directives to build a corruption-free administration and focus on developing the rural areas. The veteran leader also honoured the deceased party workers. Associated with the RSS since his student days, Ghosh rose through the BJP’s organisational ranks, serving as a block president and later as district president of the undivided Murshidabad unit. He began his political journey in 2016 and, after an initial defeat, emerged as a two-time MLA from Murshidabad seat. Ghosh had once famously asked for Murshidabad district to be made a