This Week in Explainers: The rise of Suvendu Adhikari, first BJP CM of Bengal

It’s been a week of high political drama in India. On Monday (May 4), the results of three states – West Bengal, Assam and Tamil Nadu – and one Union Territory – Puducherry – were declared.

Bengal turned saffron finally, as the BJP put an end to Mamata Banerjee’s 15-year rule, and the party swept Assam once again. In Tamil Nadu, Vijay’s TVK emerged as the largest party, beating the two Dravidian giants, DMK and AIADMK.

There was good news for the Congress in Kerala, as the UDF returned to power after a decade, defeating the CPI(M)-led LDF. And in Puducherry, NDA retained power, as chief minister N Rangasamy delivered a fifth term.

The big surprises were West Bengal and Tamil Nadu. However, what followed was uncertainty. In Bengal, the governor was forced to dissolve the Assembly as Mamata Banerjee refused to resign, after which the BJP announced Suvedu Adhirkari as its CM. In the Southern state, Vijay failed to prove his majority.

Amid the impasse, Bengal has been rocked by political violence. In a shocking case, Chandranath Rath, a close aide of Adhikari, was shot dead in North 24 Parganas on Wednesday (May 6). Unidentified motorcycle-borne attackers allegedly intercepted Ratj’s vehicle and fired at him from close range.

This week, on May 7 (Thursday), India completed one year of Operation Sindoor. As indigenous weapons gained spotlight after the mission that destroyed terrorist hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, India witnessed a defence export boom.

In our weekly roundup, we talk about all this and more.

1. The Modi vs Mamata fight was all the hype. After years of effort, the BJP stormed to power in West Bengal, winning 207 of the state’s 293 seats. The Trinamool Congress was reduced to 80. The saffron party handed a crushing defeat to the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC, ending its 15-year rule.
But what worked in the BJP’s favour? We analyse.

2. Today, Bengal gets its first BJP chief minister. Suvendu Adhikari takes oath in a historic swearing-in ceremony, which is likely to be attended by PM Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The 55-year-old Adhikari was once a close aide of Mamata Banerjee. He switched over to the BJP in December 2020 and played a pivotal role in defeating the Trinamool Congress. We look at
how he rose the ranks.

3. It is a big day for the BJP in Bengal. But its celebrations earlier in the week were dampened by political violence. In a big shocker, Chandranath Rath, a close aide of CM frontrunner Suvendu Adhikari, was shot dead by bike-borne assailants. The 41-year-old Rath served in the Indian Air Force before he took the political plunge. Here is what
we know about him and
how his killing was planned.

4. Tamil Nadu also ushered in a big change, as it voted for ‘Thalapathy’ Vijay in the state election. The actor-turned-politician’s newly launched TVK emerged as the single largest party, bagging 108 of the 234 seats, but falling short of a majority. This was a landmark election; it broke the Dravidian duopoly of DMK and AIADMK, which held power for nearly six decades. This story talks about
Vijay’s blockbuster debut.

5. The massive win might end in an anti-climax for Vijay & Co. The TVK chief was turned down twice by the governor, as he failed to form a government. Now, there is growing buzz that the DMK and AIADMK will join hands. However, Vijay’s party has warned that its 107 MLAs will resign if this happens.
What’s really going on in Tamil Nadu?

6. May 7 marked one year since Operation Sindoor, India’s strikes against terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack. The operation, which neutralised more than 100 terrorists and destroyed key enemy assets, reflected the power of made-in-India weapons – the BrahMos missile system, the Akash air defence system, and the Netra AEW&C. The success of indigenous defence caught the world’s attention, translating into an
unprecedented Rs 24,000 crore in fresh export orders and propelling India into the top tier of global defence suppliers. We explain.

7. Biocon founder Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw has chosen her successor. She has also laid out a phased succession plan for the biotech firm. The one to step into her shoes will be none other than her niece, Claire Mazumdar.

“I am the sole owner of Biocon, and I need to make sure that I put it in good hands… I have seen my niece Claire as my successor, because I think she has proved to me that she can run a company,” Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw told Fortune India.
But what do we know about Claire?

Not planning to hang up my boots for a while! Claire will gradually transition into my role in time. https://t.co/2yD1rwYAPd

— Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (@kiranshaw) May 5, 2026

8. Our last story is about Mumbai’s shocking “watermelon deaths”. A family of four – a couple and their two teenage daughters – died after eating the fruit. Now, an autopsy report reveals that the watermelon was laced with rat poison. Traces of zinc phosphide were detected in the bodies of the deceased as well as in watermelon samples collected during the investigation.
This story brings you all the details.

This is our recommendation list of stories you must not miss from India.
You can find more such explainers here. Have a good weekend.