West Bengal: Amit Shah outlined his criteria for the next CM of West Bengal. Who fits the bill?

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who is the main observer for the selection of the BJP’s legislative party leader in the West Bengal state Assembly, will head to Kolkata on Wednesday night. The BJP had informed that he is the main observer for the selection of the next chief minister, while Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi is the assistant observer.

Now that the process has been set in motion, all eyes are on who the first BJP Chief Minister of Bengal will be. Amid the anticipation, a remark made by Amit Shah earlier is suddenly in focus.

During the first phase of voting, when asked who the Chief Minister would be if the BJP came to power, he answered: “Whoever becomes the Chief Minister, he should be a son  of Bengal, educated in Bengal, Bengali speaking and a BJP worker.”

Political pundits feel that BJP senior leader Shuvendu Adhikari fits Shah’s criteria. He has  proven his strength by defeating Mamata Banerjee from the Bhavanipur seat, not just this time but also in the 2021 elections when he defeated Mamata in Nandigram. He has  proved that he is indeed the giant killer.

Besides his political power, he was also born and educated in West Bengal and has been in the BJP for over six years. Amit Shah is said to prefer leaders who are aggressive and have a firm grip on administration. Shuvendu also has ministerial experience and is familiar with every aspect of the state. He can be Shah's first choice to achieve a balance between Hindutva and development.

Shamik Bhattacharya or Dilip Ghosh?

While Shuvendu is the undisputed king, BJP state chief Shamik Bhattacharya is another name that cropped up during the campaign. He is considered close to both the RSS and the BJP and is the 'intellectual face' of the party.

Shamik Bhattacharya has the ability to maintain harmony between the Bengali-educated middle class and others and has managed to bring together old leaders of the party. He also represents the Bengali culture, and Shah recognises that aggression alone is not enough to rule Bengal.

Other names include Dilip Ghosh, who speaks in a pure Bengali style and is a very popular leader. He stood by the party during tough times, and Shah has always been appreciative of that. If Shah prefers someone who has not only organisational skills, but also a clean image, he might opt for Sukant Majumdar. He is a former professor and has a good reputation among Bengali elites. Sukant is a campaign-averse but hardworking leader who can act as a bridge between the RSS and the party.

If the BJP eyes a woman leader to take on Mamata, then Agnimitra Paul is a good option. She became an MLA on a BJP ticket for the second time and is a vocal critic of Mamata Banerjee's government on issues like women's safety and the RG Kar rape issue.  

Another name being discussed in West Bengal is Utpal Maharaj, who is known as Bengal’s Yogi. Although he is not very popular among BJP workers, he is very popular in RSS and  saffron circles. He resigned from the religious organisation and contested from Kaliaganj assembly seat and won by a huge margin. He played an important role in consolidating Hindu votes in Bengal.