During the swearing-in ceremony of new Chief Minister of Bengal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought the blessings of Makhanlal Sarkar, one of the BJP’s oldest in West Bengal.
At 98 years of age, Makhanlal Sarkar remains deeply connected to the roots of the nationalist movement in post-Independence India. In 1952, he was arrested in Kashmir while accompanying Dr. Shyama Prasad Mookerjee during the movement to hoist the Indian tricolour there.
After the BJP’s formation in 1980, Makhanlal took charge as organisational coordinator for West Dinajpur, Jalpaiguri, and Darjeeling. From 1981 onward, he served continuously for seven years as district president — a remarkable contribution during the party’s formative years.
