‘I haven’t come here as a tourist but to work’: Suvendu Adhikari in North Bengal

2 min readKolkataUpdated: Jun 16, 2026 05:11 PM IST

Suvendu Adhikari said that from July 1, hill residents would be able to avail of 125 days of work. (File Photo)

During a visit to North Bengal, West Bengal Chief Minister Shuvendu Adhikari announced welfare measures for the hill people on Tuesday. At a rally in Kurseong, Darjeeling, he said he has a long-standing relationship with the hill people and pledged to fulfil their expectations.

Adhikari said the hills had long been an ally of the BJP, adding that he had reached the hills not as a tourist but to work for the people there.

“The former chief minister had come to the hills only as a tourist. I will do what I say—that is my pledge. The former chief minister used to say: ‘the hills do not vote for me’. The present government will withdraw the false cases filed by the previous government against the Gorkhas,” he said.

Adhikari said he has a clear roadmap for North Bengal’s development and that the people there would benefit from the BJP’s “double-engine” government, as all central government schemes would be implemented in the hills.

Adhikari said that from July 1, hill residents would be able to avail of 125 days of work. Speaking about employment, the chief minister said, “There will be no more teacher recruitment scams. Police recruitment will be carried out very soon.”

All women in the hills will receive benefits under the Annapurna Yojana, and tribal people will receive special subsidies on ration and concessions on electricity bills, Adhikari said.

“Six and a half crore people will receive the benefits of Ayushman Bharat,” he said, referring to the health insurance scheme.

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Targeting the previous government, Adhikari said the Trinamool Congress government worked to break the Opposition. “During the previous government’s tenure, there was nothing but extortion, syndicate rule, and cut money,” he alleged.

“As long as jobs are not available, there will be schemes like the previous government’s Yuvashree, and they will be announced in the budget. Corrupt people have stolen your money. They will be arrested. No one will be spared. The government will send those who looted you to jail,” the chief minister said.

Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain.

Experience

Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express.

Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news.

Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions.

Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal.

Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla.

Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent.

Education

Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting.

Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University.

Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur.

Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read More

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