Who Is Makhanlal Sarkar? 98-Year-Old BJP Veteran Honoured PM Modi At Bengal CM Oath

Who Is Makhanlal Sarkar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday drew attention during the swearing-in ceremony of the BJP’s first government in West Bengal after he touched the feet of 97-year-old Makhanlal Sarkar at Kolkata’s Brigade Parade Grounds.

#WATCH | Kolkata | PM Modi felicitates and takes blessings of Makhanlal Sarkar, one of the most senior workers of the BJP in West Bengal.

In 1952, Makhanlal Sarkar was arrested in Kashmir while accompanying Syama Prasad Mukherjee during the movement to hoist the Indian… pic.twitter.com/gpmLISKYZ5

— ANI (@ANI) May 9, 2026

The emotional moment came ahead of the oath-taking ceremony of Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and quickly became one of the highlights of the high-profile event attended by senior BJP leaders, workers and supporters from across the country.

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Makhanlal Sarkar, a resident of Siliguri, is known for his long association with Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, Sarkar had served as an aide to Mukherjee and was also part of his final journey, making him a respected figure among BJP and Jana Sangh workers.

In 1952, he was arrested for his involvement with Shyama Prasad Mukherjee in the movement to hoist the Indian tricolor in Kashmir. He remained imprisoned for some period.

After the BJP's formation in 1980, he became the organisational coordinator for the West Dinajpur, Jalpaiguri, and Darjeeling districts. Within just one year, he helped enroll nearly 10,000 members in the party. He served as district president for seven consecutive years, starting in 1981. This was an extraordinary achievement at a time when BJP leaders typically held no single organisational position for more than two years.

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As PM Modi approached Sarkar at the venue, the Prime Minister bowed and touched his feet, a gesture seen as a mark of respect for the veteran leader’s contribution and dedication to the nationalist movement. The moment was greeted with loud cheers from the crowd gathered at the Brigade Parade Grounds, which had turned into a sea of saffron for the historic ceremony.

Sarkar was once arrested by the Delhi Police during the Congress era for singing a patriotic song.