At 32, Biraj Biswas became the youngest person inducted into West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s Council of Ministers. Biswas was among the 35 new ministers sworn in by Governor R N Ravi at the Lok Bhavan on Monday.
He was elected as MLA from the Karandighi constituency in North Bengal’s Uttar Dinajpur district after defeating Trinamool Congress candidate Gautam Pal by a margin of nearly 20,000 votes in the April assembly elections.
Biswas started his political journey with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). From there, he rose steadily through the ranks of ABVP, first serving as its state secretary before eventually being elevated to the post of all-India secretary.
Reflecting on his new role, Biswas speaking to The Indian Express on Tuesday, said, “ It is a huge responsibility to serve the people of this state and especially my constituency. The CM has faith in me and I am very grateful for it. I have already decided to concentrate on four main aspects for my constituency: healthcare, law and order, education and infrastructure.”
Amid concerns over monsoon preparedness across the state, Biswas noted, “As monsoons are approaching, steps are already being taken by the concerned department. Last week, meetings took place to assess monsoon preparedness . My concern is that dredging needs to be done on the rivers that are in my constituency. With respect to roads, I am calling the contractors and asking them to finish the pavement.”
Touching upon his family’s response to his induction as a Minister of State, Biswas said, “My mother is very happy regarding the responsibility given to me.”
His mother, Bina Biswas, told PTI, “I am proud to have given birth to such a son… his dream has come true, and I am very happy.” Recalling his early fascination with public life, she said, “He would always say that he would continue his studies seriously but remain active in politics and one day become a minister. It was his dream.
In addition to his political career, Biswas is also a practicing lawyer at the Calcutta High Court.
He first stepped into the political spotlight back in September 2018 for his involvement in the protests following the killing of two students during alleged firing and bombing incidents at Daribhit High School in Islampur. The clash with police forces had occurred while students were protesting the appointment of Urdu and Sanskrit teachers over other, more critically needed subjects.
On a broader scale, Biswas’s induction as a Minister highlights a major regional shift. Aside from him, nine other ministers hail from North Bengal, significantly increasing the region’s overall representation in the BJP government.
The ministers from North Bengal sworn in as Cabinet Ministers included Gouri Shankar Ghosh, Deepak Burman, Manoj Oraon, and Nisith Pramanik. Meanwhile, five legislators from the region were inducted as Ministers of State: Juyel Murmu, Anandamay Barman, Bishal Lama, Koushik Chowdhury, and Biswas himself. Malati Rava Roy, who also hails from North Bengal, took the oath as a Minister of State (Independent Charge).