Samik Bhattacharya
Indian politician (born 1963)
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Samik Bhattacharya (born 5 November 1963) is an Indian politician who has been serving as the state president of Bharatiya Janata Party, West Bengal since July 2025.[1] He is also serving as a member of Rajya Sabha representing West Bengal since 2024.[2]
Nitin Nabin
Samik Bhattacharya | |
|---|---|
Bhattacharya speaking at a program in Basirhat, 2014 | |
| 11th President of Bharatiya Janata Party, West Bengal | |
| Assumed office 3 July 2025 | |
| National President | J. P. Nadda Nitin Nabin |
| Preceded by | Sukanta Majumder |
| Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha | |
| Assumed office 3 April 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Abhishek Manu Singhvi |
| Constituency | West Bengal |
| Member of West Bengal Legislative Assembly | |
| In office 26 September 2014 – 19 May 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Narayan Mukherjee |
| Succeeded by | Dipendu Biswas |
| Constituency | Basirhat Dakshin |
| Majority | 1,586 (0.84%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 5 November 1963 |
| Party | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| Surendranath College (B.A.) | |
| Occupation | Politician |
Early life
Born in 1963 at Maligaon village near Debdoot Sheet Nagar in Assam, Bhattacharya began his early childhood career by joining Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in 1971. He later joined BJP in the early 1980s. He has Bachelor of Arts degree from Surendranath College in 1988.[3][4]
Political career
Youth politics
Bhattacharya served in several positions in the early 1990s, such as the general secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) in South Howrah mandal (lit. 'zone'). Later, he became its general secretary in the Howrah district. He was later elevated to the post of state general secretary of the BJYM and held for 11 years.[5]
Early organisational roles in BJP
Bhattacharya was the state general secretary of BJP in West Bengal on three non-consecutive terms. He is the member of BJP National Council.
Initial electoral journey
He lost the Shyampukur Assembly seat in 2006 and the Basirhat Lok Sabha seat in 2014.[6][4]
He was elected from Basirhat Dakshin Assembly constituency in 2014 by-election by a margin of 1,586 and served as a Member of West Bengal Legislative Assembly until his defeat in 2016 to his rival Dipendu Biswas from Trinamool Congress. He was the second member from BJP to be elected in the assembly's history, first being in 1999. He was also defeated in Dum Dum Lok Sabha constituency in 2019 general election.[7][8]
Chief party spokesperson
Bhattacharya has been the chief spokesperson in BJP West Bengal in 2020. He contested in 2021 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election from Rajarhat Gopalpur Assembly constituency. He was known by critics and supporters for his orator skills, soft-spoken and well accepted by both old and new factions in the party.[7][9][3]
Member of Rajya Sabha
In April 2024, he was elected to Rajya Sabha from West Bengal. He was assigned as a member of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Kalyani since April 2024.
After 2025 Pahalgam attack in Kashmir, he was a member of the Indian Parliamentary delegation led by MP Ravi Shankar Prasad to visit European Union, UK, Italy and Denmark for explaining India's position on Operation Sindoor in May 2025.[10][11][3]
Committee memberships in Parliament
- Member, Standing Committee on Home Affairs (since September 2024)
State BJP President
Before 2026 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election, Bhattacharya was nominated to be the state party president of BJP in West Bengal. He was elected on 3 July 2025 unopposed and took charge at a ceremony held in Science City, Kolkata. His predecessor Sukanta Majumdar, Opposition Leader Suvendu Adhikari and Prasad was present during the ceremony.[12]
Electoral performance
| Year | Constituency | Legislature | Party | Votes for Bhattacharya | Result | Swing | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | % | Pos. | ±% | ||||||||
| 2006 | Shyampukur | Assembly | BJP | 16,304 | 32.5 | 2nd | +30 | Lost | CPI(M) Hold | ||
| 2014 | Basirhat | Lok Sabha | 2,33,887 | 18.36 | 3rd | +11.81 | Lost | AITC Gain | |||
| 2014[a] | Basirhat Dakshin | Assembly | 71,002 | 37.43 | 1st | +33.52 | Elected | BJP Gain | |||
| 2016 | Assembly | 64,027 | 29.55 | 2nd | +25.64 | Lost | AITC Gain | ||||
| 2019 | Dum Dum | Lok Sabha | 4,59,063 | 38.11 | 2nd | +15.61 | Lost | AITC Hold | |||
| 2021 | Rajarhat-Gopalpur | Assembly | 62,354 | 34.89 | 2nd | +22.92 | Lost | AITC Hold | |||
| 2024 | West Bengal | Rajya Sabha | Unopposed[b] | Elected | BJP Gain | ||||||