Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday felicitated senior BJP worker Makhanlal Sarkar during the swearing-in ceremony of the new West Bengal government at Kolkata’s Brigade Parade Ground. The moment drew attention as the Prime Minister greeted the 98-year-old veteran and sought his blessings in front of party leaders and supporters gathered at the venue.
Sarkar is regarded as one of the early grassroots figures linked to the nationalist movement in post-Independence India. His long association with the BJP and its ideological roots was highlighted during the ceremony, which marked a major political shift in West Bengal.
Who is Makhanlal Sarkar?
Makhanlal Sarkar was arrested in Kashmir in 1952 while accompanying Syama Prasad Mukherjee during the movement to hoist the Indian tricolour in the region. The movement later became a significant chapter in the history of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the ideological predecessor of the BJP.
#WATCH | Kolkata | PM Modi felicitates and takes blessings of Makhanlal Sarkar, one of the most senior workers of the BJP in West Bengal.
— ANI (@ANI) May 9, 2026
In 1952, Makhanlal Sarkar was arrested in Kashmir while accompanying Syama Prasad Mukherjee during the movement to hoist the Indian pic.twitter.com/gpmLISKYZ5
Over the decades, Sarkar remained connected with organisational activities in Bengal and continued to work at the grassroots level.
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Played key organisational role in North Bengal
After the BJP was formed in 1980, Sarkar took charge as the organisational coordinator for West Dinajpur, Jalpaiguri, and Darjeeling districts. Within a year, he reportedly helped enrol nearly 10,000 members, strengthening the party’s presence in North Bengal at a time when the BJP had limited organisational reach in the state.
From 1981 onwards, he served continuously for seven years as district president. The tenure was considered notable because party leaders at the time generally did not remain in the same organisational role for more than two years.
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Suvendu Adhikari takes oath as Bengal CM
The ceremony also marked the swearing-in of Suvendu Adhikari as West Bengal’s first BJP Chief Minister. Adhikari, who was elected leader of the BJP Legislative Party in the state, took oath in the presence of Prime Minister Modi and senior BJP leaders.
