Who Is Makhanlal Sarkar? PM Modi Hugs, Touches 97-Year-Old BJP Karyakarta's Feet In Emotional Brigade Moment As CM Suvendu Takes Oath

New Delhi: Ahead of Suvendu Adhikari’s oath-taking ceremony as West Bengal’s first BJP Chief Minister, Prime Minister Narendra Modi honoured 97-year-old veteran BJP worker Makhanlal Sarkar by touching his feet and embracing him on stage before thousands of cheering supporters and senior party leaders.

The Prime Minister’s gesture was seen as a mark of respect for one of the BJP’s oldest grassroots workers in Bengal, who has spent decades building the party in the state long before it emerged as a major political force.

Who is Makhanlal Sarkar?

Makhanlal Sarkar is regarded as one of the most senior BJP workers in West Bengal and an early figure associated with the nationalist movement in post-Independence India.

At the age of 97, Sarkar remains closely connected with the party and is remembered within BJP circles for his organisational work across north Bengal districts during the party’s early years.

According to party leaders, Sarkar dedicated his entire life to the BJP and nationalist causes.

One of the defining chapters of Makhanlal Sarkar’s life dates back to 1952, when he accompanied Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mukherjee during the movement linked to hoisting the Indian tricolour in Kashmir.

During that agitation, Sarkar was arrested in Kashmir alongside Mukherjee’s supporters, becoming part of one of the earliest nationalist political movements in independent India.

The movement later became a defining moment in the ideological history of the Jana Sangh and eventually the BJP.

Helped Build BJP in Bengal

After the Bharatiya Janata Party was formed in 1970, Makhanlal Sarkar played a major organisational role in expanding the party in West Bengal.

He was appointed organisational coordinator for West Dinajpur, Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling districts and reportedly helped enroll nearly 10,000 members within a year, at a time when the BJP had minimal presence in Bengal politics.

From 1971 onwards, Sarkar served continuously for seven years as district president, something party leaders described as a rare achievement during a period when BJP office-bearers usually did not remain in the same post for more than two years.

Suvendu Adhikari Takes Oath As West Bengal's First BJP Chief Minister

Suvendu Adhikari takes the oath as West Bengal's first BJP Chief Minister since independence.

Adhikari won both the Nandigram and Bhabanipur seats in the 2026 elections. Repeating Nandigram of 2021, this time around, he defeated outgoing CM Mamata Banerjee from Bhabanipur by a margin of over 15,000 votes.

In the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, the BJP secured 207 seats, while the Trinamool Congress (TMC) won 80 seats, putting an end to its 15-year rule in the State. After 34 years of the Left and 15 years of TMC, Bengal once again echoed the spirit of 'Poriborton'. 

PM Modi Recalls Syama Prasad Mookerjee’s Legacy

Following the swearing-in ceremony, Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a detailed post on X remembering Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee and highlighting the contribution of veteran BJP worker Makhanlal Sarkar to the party’s growth in West Bengal.

Calling the formation of the BJP government in Bengal a historic moment, PM Modi said the occasion naturally reminded the party of leaders who laid its ideological foundation in the state decades ago.

In his post, Modi wrote, “Today, as the first-ever BJP government takes oath in West Bengal, it is natural for all of us to remember Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee and his everlasting contribution to the nation and West Bengal in particular. No stone will be left unturned to fulfil his vision.”

The Prime Minister also spoke about his interaction with 98-year-old Makhanlal Sarkar during the ceremony, describing him as a “devout nationalist” who worked closely with Dr Mookerjee.

“During the swearing in ceremony in Kolkata, had the opportunity to meet Shri Makhanlal Sarkar Ji. A devout nationalist, he worked with Dr Mookerjee and was even arrested in Jammu and Kashmir while accompanying him,” Modi said.
Highlighting Sarkar’s contribution to the BJP organisation in Bengal, Modi added, “He dedicated his life to our Party, expanding its base across West Bengal, inspiring people from all walks of life to join the Party.”

“We in the BJP are proud that we have such motivating figures who have worked among the people and strengthened our party," the Prime Minister further wrote.