Who is the 98-year-old BJP veteran whose feet PM touched at Bengal CM oath event?

Before the oath-taking ceremony in Kolkata, Prime Minister Narendra Modi touched the feet of 98-year-old Makhan Lal Sarkar, who was arrested in Kashmir in 1953 while accompanying Syama Prasad Mookerjee during the movement to hoist the Indian tricolour there.

In Short

• BJP ended 15 years of Trinamool rule, winning 207 of 294 assembly seats
• Swarms of supporters from West Bengal and beyond gathered at Brigade Grounds
• Cultural shows and local snacks added festive spirit to the oath ceremony

Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a heartfelt moment with 98-year-old BJP worker Makhan Lal Sarkar during the swearing-in ceremony of Suvendu Adhikari as West Bengal's new Chief Minister in Kolkata on Saturday. As Sarkar greeted the Prime Minister at the venue, Modi touched the veteran BJP worker’s feet and embraced him, drawing loud cheers from supporters. On the stage, the Prime Minister was also seen taking Sarkar’s blessings.

At 98, Sarkar remains among the earliest grassroots figures associated with the nationalist movement in post-Independence India. In 1952, he was arrested in Kashmir while accompanying Syama Prasad Mookerjee during the movement to hoist the Indian tricolour there.

After the BJP’s formation in 1980, Sarkar became the organisational coordinator for West Dinajpur, Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling districts. Within a year, he helped enrol nearly 10,000 members. From 1981 onward, he served continuously for seven years as district president – considered a rare achievement in the party’s organisational structure at the time.

PM Modi arrived at Brigade Parade Ground to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the BJP’s first government in West Bengal, marking a historic political shift in the state after the party ended 15 years of Trinamool rule.

Accompanied by state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya and Chief Minister-designate Adhikari, PM Modi received a rousing welcome as chants of “Jai Shri Ram” echoed across the sprawling venue.

The Prime Minister entered the grounds in an open vehicle, waving at thousands of supporters gathered since early morning for the oath-taking ceremony. He landed at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport shortly before 10 am and later travelled via helicopter to the Race Course grounds before proceeding by road to the venue.

SEA OF SAFFRON AT BRIGADE

The Brigade Parade Grounds turned into a sea of saffron as BJP supporters from across West Bengal, neighbouring states such as Jharkhand, and even overseas arrived to witness the event.

Groups carrying BJP flags and banners marched through Kolkata’s streets raising slogans in support of Modi and Adhikari. Several Union ministers and chief ministers from NDA-ruled states also attended the ceremony.

“It is a historic day. We have come to witness West Bengal getting independence from the clutches of the TMC,” a BJP supporter from Jharkhand said.

Another supporter claimed he had travelled from Canada to witness the swearing-in in person.

CULTURAL SHOWS, JHAL MURI ADD LOCAL FLAVOUR

The venue wore a festive look with folk performances, devotional music and traditional cultural displays ahead of the ceremony.

Chhou dance troupes and tribal performers entertained the crowd as supporters continued pouring into the grounds. The main stage backdrop showcased symbols of Bengal’s cultural heritage, including depictions of the Dakshineswar Kali Temple and Goddess Durga.

Supporters were also served packets of ‘jhal muri’, the popular Bengali snack that recently went viral after Modi stopped to taste it at a roadside stall in Jhargram during the election campaign.

The BJP secured 207 seats in the 294-member West Bengal Assembly, scripting a historic victory and ending the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress’s 15-year hold over the state.

- Ends