Swapan Dasgupta, a prominent columnist and former Rajya Sabha MP, has been entrusted with the crucial finance portfolio in West Bengal's newly formed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government. His appointment as Finance Minister places him at the forefront of the state's fiscal and economic policymaking.
The allocation of portfolios for all 41 ministers was officially notified by the state government on Wednesday, June 10, 2026. This marks the complete formation of the BJP's inaugural administration in West Bengal, following their victory in the April Assembly elections which concluded the Trinamool Congress's decade-and-a-half-long tenure.
Dasgupta, who secured the Rashbehari Assembly seat, is among 19 Cabinet ministers in the new government. The 41-member Council of Ministers also includes three Ministers of State with independent charge and 19 Ministers of State. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, along with five other ministers, took their oaths on May 9, coinciding with Rabindranath Tagore's birth anniversary, while the remaining 35 ministers were sworn in on June 1.
Key Portfolio Holders in the New Cabinet
Chief Minister Adhikari has retained several significant departments in addition to leading the government. These include Home and Hill Affairs, Land and Land Reforms, Refugee Relief and Rehabilitation, Power, Information and Cultural Affairs, and Personnel and Administrative Reforms. He will also oversee any portfolios not specifically allocated to other ministers.
Other notable appointments include:
- Nishith Pramanik: Former Union minister, now in charge of North Bengal Development and Water Resources.
- Dilip Ghosh: Former West Bengal BJP president, overseeing Panchayats, Rural Development, and Agricultural Marketing.
- Agnimitra Paul: Senior BJP leader, assigned Urban Development and Municipal Affairs.
- Tapas Roy: Former Trinamool Congress leader who joined BJP, appointed Industries Minister.
- Dipak Burman: Former school headmaster, given the School Education department.
- Jagannath Chattopadhyay: Journalist-turned-politician, heading Higher Education.
- Dudh Kumar Mondal: Entrusted with the Agriculture portfolio.
- Shankar Ghosh: Siliguri MLA, assigned Parliamentary Affairs and Tourism.
- Arjun Singh: Former MP, overseeing the Labour and Transport ministries.
- Dr. Sharadwat Mukherjee: Oncologist and Bidhannagar MLA, appointed Health and Family Welfare Minister.
Ministers of State with Independent Charge
Among those with independent charge are:
- Indranil Khan: Doctor and BJP leader, heading Youth Services and Sports as well as Consumer Affairs.
- Malati Rava Roy: Tufanganj MLA, overseeing Women and Child Development, Social Welfare, and self-help groups.
The new government also features several first-time ministers from diverse backgrounds, including former India cricketer Ashok Dinda as Minister of State for Agricultural Marketing, MSMEs, and Textiles, and Kalita Maji, who was formerly a domestic helper, as Minister of State for Housing.
With the comprehensive portfolio allocation now complete, the BJP government under Chief Minister Adhikari is poised to begin implementing its agenda. Swapan Dasgupta's role as Finance Minister is anticipated to be central in shaping West Bengal's economic and financial trajectory.