Suvendu Adhikari

Suvendu Adhikari (born 15 December 1970) is an Indian politician who has served as the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly since May 2021. Widely regarded as the de facto leader and primary face of the West Bengal unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Adhikari spent much of his early political career as a senior member of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC). He rose to political prominence as a key figure in the 2007 Nandigram anti-land acquisition movement, and later served as a state cabinet minister during his tenure with the party from 2016 until his resignation in 2020.

Suvendu Adhikari in 2024

​Hailing from a prominent political family in Purba Medinipur, Adhikari has represented the Nandigram constituency as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) since 2016, winning first as a TMC candidate and later retaining the seat in 2021 under the BJP banner. In the 2021 election, he famously defeated TMC chief and incumbent Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in a highly publicised and close contest. Previously, he served as the MLA for South Contai from 2006 to 2009, and as a Member of Parliament (MP) in the Lok Sabha for Tamluk, winning consecutive elections in 2009 and 2014.

Quotes

2022

• We met the State Election Commission (SEC) in view of the post-poll violence orchestrated by the TMC, which has created a ‘gas chamber for democracy’ like situation in West Bengal. We advised the SEC to deploy Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) in the state.
  • "‘Hindus in danger’: BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari blames TMC’s Sheikh Sufiyan for West Bengal post-poll violence" (February 11, 2022)
• TMC’s Sheikh Sufiyan is responsible for the post-poll violence, including atrocities committed against women. The situation in Bengal is worse than Jammu and Kashmir. Hindus are in danger. Over 1 lakh Hindus have left the state due to the post-poll violence. Intruders have entered, attempting to change the state’s demography.
  • "‘Hindus in danger’: BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari blames TMC’s Sheikh Sufiyan for West Bengal post-poll violence" (February 11, 2022)
• Shri Debabrata Maity was a Voter in my constituency #Nandigram. Was. I’m in disbelief even using the word. Is this the consequence of exercising one’s franchise? He was killed for the crime of using his Constitutional right to vote. Numbed beyond words at this senseless violence,” Adhikari had Tweeted while paying tribute to his party worker who had to give up his life for supporting BJP in Mamata Banerjee’s tyrannical regime.
  • "‘Hindus in danger’: BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari blames TMC’s Sheikh Sufiyan for West Bengal post-poll violence" (February 11, 2022)

2025

• Religious persecution in Bengal is real. Appeasement politics of TMC has emboldened radical elements. Hindus are being hunted, our people are running for their lives in their own land!
  • Murshidabad violence: 3 dead, 150 arrested; Suvendu slams Bengal govt, claims 400 Hindus 'forced to flee' (April 13, 2025)

Quotes about Suvendu Adhikari

In front of the camera, in front of the TV camera… how much (money) have you brought? Alright, bring it, bring it. And then he kept (the money) inside his kurta like this. Didn’t you all see it on TV? And his face looked so innocent. It felt like this was a daily habit for him. —Narendra Modi

• In front of the camera, in front of the TV camera… how much (money) have you brought? Alright, bring it, bring it. And then he kept (the money) inside his kurta like this. Didn’t you all see it on TV? And his face looked so innocent. It felt like this was a daily habit for him. And some people were even saying right in front of the TV — why have you brought so little?
  • Narendra Modi. At a public rally in 2016, Narendra Modi was mocking Suvendu Adhikari by acting out an incident of taking a bribe.