POLITICAL JOURNEY
- BJP’s first Chief Minister in West Bengal since Independence
- Former close aide of Mamata Banerjee
- Joined BJP in December 2020
- Defeated Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram in 2021
- Served as Leader of Opposition for five years
NANDIGRAM TURNING POINT
- Led anti-land acquisition movement against Salim Group’s chemical hub project
- Movement organised with father Sisir Adhikari
- Police firing on March 14, 2007 killed 14 people
- Nandigram agitation became a major turning point in Bengal politics
- Mobilised villagers and blocked entry routes to keep police and administration out
ELECTORAL RECORD
- 2009: Elected MP from Tamluk
- Defeated CPI(M)’s Lakshman Chandra Seth by over 1.7 lakh votes
- Re-elected to Lok Sabha in 2014
- 2016: Became MLA from Nandigram
- 2021: Beat Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram
ROLES HELD
- Two-term Lok Sabha MP
- Three-time MLA
- Former Transport Minister in Bengal
- Held multiple portfolios in TMC govt
- Three-time councillor
- Former chairman, Contai Municipality
BREAK WITH TMC
- Differences with TMC leadership surfaced after 2019
- Rift linked to rise of Abhishek Banerjee in party structure
- Quit cabinet and Assembly before joining BJP
FAMILY LEGACY
- Adhikari family hails from Kanthi
- Political roots in Congress tradition
- Family associated with freedom movement
- Bipin Adhikari and Kenaram Adhikari worked with nationalist leaders
- Family home allegedly burnt twice during British rule
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