Kolkata/IBNS: In less than a year to go for the next West Bengal assembly elections, Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya was on Thursday elected as the state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president unopposed.

Bhattacharya, 61, previously served as the MLA from Basirhat Dakshin. He was also the official state spokesperson of the party.

A common face in the regional BJP circuit, he succeeded Union Minister Sukanta Majumder as the party chief in the state.

Bhattacharya, who was the only person to have filed nomination for the post, was formally appointed by senior BJP Lok Sabha MP Ravi Shankar Prasad at Science City in Kolkata.

Majumdar, West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari and other key BJP leaders were present at the ceremony.

In a marathon speech, Bhattacharya lashed out at the Mamata Banerjee government in the state soon after his appointment.

Claiming the BJP is set to form the government in the state in 2026, Bhattacharya said, "People voted out the dominant Left Front government through ballot. Voters speak the last word in a democracy."

"There is no force in the world that can ensure Mamata Banerjee a fourth term in power. Trinamool Congress is certainly losing the upcoming assembly elections," the new BJP state chief thundered.

In a message for the Left and Congress, Bhattacharya appealed to the marginal opposition forces to not divide votes and help the TMC.

"I would appeal to the Left and Congress to not allow TMC to come to power through backdoors by dividing the opposition votes."

Bhattacharya also sent a message to bridge the gap between the old guards and the turncoats in the party, which saw a meteoric rise in the state politics in 2019 by bagging 18 Lok Sabha seats.

"The old guards have to realise that the party won't expand if leaders are not inducted from outside. We can't manufacture leaders. At the same time, the new entrants should also remember the party has reached this level due to the old guards who had fought lost battles in the past," said Bhattacharya.

Congratulating the new state chief, Adhikari, who is taking on Mamata Banerjee head-on, said, "I am confident that under your (Bhattacharya) dynamic leadership, the BJP in West Bengal will scale new heights and amplify our vision to form the next government for building a prosperous and vibrant West Bengal."