Kolkata, May 16 -- West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday referred to Mithun Chakraborty as one of the key architects behind the BJP's victory in Bengal and his becoming the Chief Minister. Adhikari had a courtesy meeting with Chakraborty, who has been the BJP's star campaigner at the latter's New Town residence.

"We had taken a pledge to bring change in this state. After I became Chief Minister, Mithunda wanted to meet me. I told him he did not need to come - his Chief Minister would visit him instead. Before the 2026 Assembly elections, he campaigned relentlessly across Bengal, held one meeting after another, and for nearly six years worked selflessly to restore Bengal's lost glory." Adhikari said.

Adhikari said that in the last three months, Chakraborty had addressed the most rallies, meetings and roadshows for the BJP. "There was no limit to Mithunda's hard work. Even when offered organisational posts, he refused. He worked at the micro level. Mithunda is one of the principal architects behind BJP's victory in Bengal and my becoming Chief Minister," said Adhikari.

Adhikari, who met Chakraborty ahead of his first administrative meeting in Diamond Harbour, said: "Mithunda's popularity goes far beyond the BJP. Personally, I stopped watching films after Class VIII, but Mithunda is in a different league altogether. He is the Mahaguru."

Mithun Chakraborty described Suvendu Adhikari as "the best Chief Minister Bengal could have got."

He said: "There cannot be a better Chief Minister than this - I can guarantee that. He has been working continuously since taking the oath. We are proud to have him as Chief Minister. You will all see the work that will be done in the coming days. This warrior will continue leading one battle after another, and I will always stand behind him."

Notably, during the BJP government's swearing-in ceremony at Brigade Parade Grounds on May 9, a star-studded gathering drew significant attention. One of the standout moments was the interaction between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mithun Chakraborty. It was at the same Brigade ground around five years ago that Mithun had formally joined the BJP in the presence of Modi.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.