Retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Subrata Gupta was on Saturday appointed as adviser to West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, according to an official order issued by the state government. The appointment came on the same day Suvendu Adhikari took oath as the 9th Chief Minister of West Bengal, marking the formation of the state’s first BJP government and ending the Trinamool Congress’s 15-year rule. Alongside Gupta’s appointment, the newly formed government also named IAS officer Shantanu Bala as the Private Secretary to the Chief Minister. Both officers were directed to take charge immediately as the new administration began setting up its core team after the massive election victory.
Who is Subrata Gupta? Senior bureaucrat brought in as the Chief Minister’s adviser
Subrata Gupta is a 1990-batch IAS officer who has held several key administrative roles during his long bureaucratic career. Before this latest appointment, he was appointed by the Election Commission of India (ECI) as the Special Roll Observer for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise conducted ahead of the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly elections. Known for his administrative experience and election-related work, Gupta is expected to play a key advisory role for Suvendu Adhikari as the new government settles into office.
Officials said the appointment of Subrata Gupta is being seen as an important move because of his deep experience in governance and administration. His involvement with the Election Commission during the politically sensitive election period had also brought him into public focus in recent months.
Young IAS officer Shantanu Bala named as Chief Minister’s private secretary
In another major appointment, the West Bengal government named IAS officer Shantanu Bala as the Private Secretary to Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. “The Governor is pleased to appoint Shri Shantanu Bala, IAS (WB:2017), ADM, South 24 Parganas, as Private Secretary to the Hon’ble Chief Minister, Government of West Bengal until further order(s). This is issued in the interest of public service,” the official notification stated.
Shantanu Bala is a 2017-batch IAS officer of the West Bengal cadre and was serving as the Additional District Magistrate (ADM) of South 24 Parganas before being shifted to the Chief Minister’s Office. According to the notification, he has been given the new responsibility “in the public interest.”
Swearing-in ceremony marked the beginning of BJP era in West Bengal
The appointments were announced shortly after Suvendu Adhikari took oath as Chief Minister at a grand swearing-in ceremony in Kolkata. Governor RN Ravi administered the oath of office in the presence of top BJP leaders and several chief ministers from across the country.
Along with Adhikari, five BJP leaders, Dilip Ghosh, Agnimitra Paul, Ashok Kirtania, Kshudiram Tudu and Nisith Pramanik, also took oath as ministers in the new cabinet.
The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP national president JP Nadda and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, among other senior leaders.
BJP’s massive victory changed Bengal’s political landscape
The BJP secured a massive victory in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections by winning 207 seats in the 294-member Assembly. The result ended the Trinamool Congress’s uninterrupted 15-year rule in the state. The TMC won 80 seats.
Suvendu Adhikari also emerged as one of the biggest faces of the election after defeating former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee from the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency by a margin of over 15,000 votes. He also retained the Nandigram Assembly seat, further strengthening his political standing in West Bengal politics.
(With inputs from ANI)
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Khalid Qasid is a media enthusiast with a strong interest in documentary filmmaking. He holds a Master’s degree in Convergent Journalism from AJK MCRC. He has also written extensively on esports at Sportsdunia. Currently, he covers world and general news at NewsX Digital.
