Makhanlal Sarkar, a resident of SIliguri, has been associated with the BJP for several decades. 3 min read New Delhi May 9, 2026 01:07 PM IST First published on: May 9, 2026 at 01:07 PM IST While the swearing-in ceremony of West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday was major show of strength by the BJP, it also emerged as a platform to acknowledge the contributions of a long-time associate, Makhanlal Sarkar Sarkar, 97, was an aide of Jan Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee and has been associated with the organisation for several decades. In 1952, Sarkar was arrested in Kashmir while accompanying Mookerjee during the movement to hoist the tricolour in the Valley. Mookerjee’s yatra to Kashmir was part of a movement led by him to pressure the Centre to push for Jammu and Kashmir’s full integration with India.…