Why BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari never got married? The untold story behind Bengal’s next Chief Minister’s personal life

Suvendu Adhikari was formally chosen as the Chief Minister of West Bengal on Friday, following the BJP’s decisive victory in the recently concluded Assembly elections. The proposal to elevate Adhikari’s name was moved by senior BJP leader and former state president Dilip Ghosh during the legislature party meeting held in Kolkata earlier in the day. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, appointed as the central observer for the proceedings, and Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, serving as co-observer, were both present at the meeting. “I announce the name of Suvendu Adhikari as elected Leader of the West Bengal BJP Legislative Party,” said Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who oversaw the selection process in his capacity as the party’s central observer. However, Adhikari has remained unmarried, a personal choice he has openly addressed in past interviews. Described in political circles as a “giant slayer” after repeatedly defeating Mamata Banerjee at the ballot box, he has explained that celibacy allows him to devote more time and focus to public life.

In the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept to power with 207 seats, comfortably crossing the majority mark of 148 in the 294-member Assembly, while the Trinamool Congress was reduced to 80 seats after 15 years in government. Suvendu Adhikari, aged 55, emerged as a central figure in West Bengal politics following his break from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and joining the BJP in 2020. Contesting from both Nandigram and Bhabanipur in 2026, Adhikari registered a significant political breakthrough by defeating outgoing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur by 15,105 votes, marking one of the TMC’s biggest setbacks in its stronghold. In Nandigram, he also secured victory over TMC candidate Pabitra Kar by a margin of 9,665 votes.

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Adhikari had earlier become the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly after defeating Mamata Banerjee in the 2021 Nandigram election by a narrow margin of around 1,956 votes. The Nandigram contest became a defining moment in state politics, reflecting the direct and intense rivalry between the two leaders and reshaping West Bengal’s political narrative.

His rise within the BJP was formally recognised after he was chosen as the Leader of the BJP Legislative Party in the Assembly, a position that placed him at the centre of the party’s strategy in the state.

Political roots and ideological shift

Adhikari comes from a politically influential family in East Midnapore. His father, Sisir Adhikari, has served in both the West Bengal Assembly and the Lok Sabha, while his brother Dibyendu Adhikari was associated with the TMC before later joining the BJP in 2024. Suvendu began his political journey with the Congress during the 1995 municipal elections, before joining the newly formed TMC in 1998 alongside his father. However, internal differences within the TMC eventually led to his exit and entry into the BJP, reshaping the political balance in the state.

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Personal life and decision to remain unmarried

In a 2021 interview with India TV, Suvendu Adhikari said, “I am unmarried, and the best part about celibacy is that I have a lot of time for work and no personal obligations.” He also linked this personal decision to his long-standing commitment to politics, noting that he entered student politics in 1987 with NSU and has remained deeply dedicated to public life since then. Reflecting on his influences, he referred to freedom fighters such as Satish Samanta, Sushil Dhara and Ajoy Mukherjee, saying he had studied their autobiographies and drawn inspiration from their public service. “All three of them remained unmarried, and I have followed their path, choosing to remain unmarried as well,” he added.

He further noted that his parents are in good health and that taking care of them remains his responsibility. “Trying to establish any family member in politics, fulfilling my political interests through others, or misusing political influence for someone else—these are the disadvantages.That is why I feel I am doing the right thing.”