Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Rathindra Bose was elected unopposed as the Speaker of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly on Friday, becoming the first legislator from north Bengal to hold the prestigious constitutional post since Independence. Bose’s elevation is being viewed as both a symbolic and strategic move by the BJP, which has significantly strengthened its political presence in the northern districts of the state over the last decade.

The proposal for Bose’s appointment was moved in the Assembly by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. Following the motion, pro tem Speaker Tapas Roy conducted a voice vote in the House, where all 207 BJP legislators extended their support in favour of Bose, ensuring his unanimous election as Speaker.

On Thursday, Adhikari had formally announced Bose, the MLA representing Cooch Behar Dakshin constituency, as the BJP’s official candidate for the Speaker’s post in the newly constituted 18th West Bengal Assembly. The opposition All India Trinamool Congress decided not to nominate any candidate, paving the way for Bose’s smooth and uncontested victory.

With the BJP commanding an overwhelming majority in the 294-member Assembly after its emphatic performance in the recent state elections, Bose’s appointment was largely considered a formality. Political analysts believe the decision also highlights the party’s growing focus on north Bengal, a region that has emerged as one of the BJP’s strongest support bases in the state in recent years.