Kolkata, May 9 (IANS) BJP workers and supporters on their way to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Suvendu Adhikari, on Saturday chanted ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans outside former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s house in Harish Chatterjee Street in Kalighat area.

The street wore a deserted look and only a few policemen and CRPF personnel were present outside Mamata Banerjee’s residence.

With the security cover outside the former Chief Minister’s house being reduced after her party’s defeat in West Bengal Assembly elections, people now have free access to Harish Chatterjee Street.

On Saturday, a handful of BJP workers and supporters took out a small procession in Harish Chatterjee Street to go to the swearing-in ceremony at Brigade Parade Grounds. As they passed Mamata Banerjee’s residence, they shouted ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans. The BJP workers then left the street.

In the meantime, some Trinamool workers also appeared in front of Banerjee’s house to offer their moral support to the Trinamool Congress supremo. Many of them raised ‘Joy Bangla’ slogans. However, the situation remained peaceful outside Banerjee’s house and no untoward incident was reported.

Meanwhile, Suvendu Adhikari took oath as the ninth Chief Minister of West Bengal at Brigade Parade Grounds in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a host of other dignitaries in a grand swearing-in ceremony.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Ministers, Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states, BJP national president Nitin Nabin, other dignitaries, newly-elected BJP MLAs and thousands of BJP workers and supporters were present at the event.

After a decade-and-a-half, there has been another political change in the state. After West Bengal Assembly elections, the BJP has come to power by bringing down the Trinamool Congress government. The BJP won 207 seats in the 294-seat strong West Bengal Assembly. Trinamool’s seats have come down to 80 from 215 it won in the 2021 state Assembly elections.

–IANS

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