Siliguri, May 11 -- Veteran BJP worker Makhanlal Sarkar on Sunday said he was "reaping the rewards of honesty" after Prime Minister Narendra Modi felicitated him and sought his blessings during the swearing-in ceremony of the BJP government in West Bengal.

The interaction took place at Kolkata's Brigade Parade Ground on May 9, where Suvendu Adhikari took oath as the state's first BJP Chief Minister since Independence, following the party's sweeping victory in the 2026 Assembly elections.

Speaking to ANI here, the 98-year-old veteran BJP worker expressed happiness over the political shift in the state and said he hoped the new government would focus on development and employment generation.

"...I am reaping the rewards of my honesty... ...