The BJP government in West Bengal expanded its Cabinet on Monday, adding 35 ministers, three weeks after CM Suvendu Adhikari and five others were sworn in.

Governor RN Ravi administered the oaths of the newly elected ministers at Nabanna at 11 am, bringing the tally of ministers to 41, including the Chief Minister. The addition includes 13 cabinet ministers, 3 Ministers of State (Independent Charge), and 19 Ministers of State (MoS).

BJP stalwart Swapan Dasgupta was sworn in as a Cabinet Minister, along with former TMC MLA Arjun Singh and Manoj Oraon. Another former journalist, like Dasgupta, Jagannath Chattopadhyay, also joined the cabinet.

On May 9, Adhikari and five other MLAs were sworn in as ministers. Adhikari, who took oath as the chief minister, kept a majority of the important departments with him, including Home and Hill Affairs, Health, Law, and Finance. Senior party leader Dilip Ghosh was allocated the portfolios of Rural Development, Panchayats, and Animal Resources. Agnimitra Paul was made in charge of Women and Child Development and Social Welfare, while Nisith Pramanik was assigned key portfolios of North Bengal Development, Sports, and Youth Welfare. Ashok Kirtania was given the Food Department. Kshudiram Tudu was assigned the portfolios of Backward Class Welfare and Development, Tribal Development, and Minority Affairs.