Ashok Lahiri, BJP MLA and former chief economic adviser, is set to be appointed NITI Aayog vice-chairman, a move seen as boosting BJPs strategy in West Bengal ahead of 2026
Ashok Lahiri is set to be appointed vice-chairman of NITI Aayog. (Image: X/@AshokLahiri)
Economist and BJP leader Ashok Lahiri is set to be appointed vice-chairman of NITI Aayog, in a move that signals the Centre’s strategic focus on West Bengal ahead of the 2026 assembly elections.
Lahiri, 74, is currently a BJP MLA from Balurghat in West Bengal and a former chief economic adviser to the Government of India, having served between 2002 and 2007 under the Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh governments.
He has also held several key positions, including member of the Fifteenth Finance Commission from 2017 to 2023 and chairman of Bandhan Bank, apart from stints with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
Sources said Lahiri’s likely elevation comes at a time when the BJP is attempting to strengthen its intellectual and policy presence in Bengal, where it is looking to challenge the ruling Trinamool Congress.
Who Is NITI Aayog’s Vice-Chairman?
The NITI Aayog vice-chairman post is currently held by Suman Bery, who took charge on May 1, 2022, with Cabinet rank.
Lahiri’s appointment is being seen as both a technocratic and political decision, combining his economic expertise with his growing role in Bengal politics.
The development underlines the Centre’s attempt to align policy leadership with broader electoral strategy in key states.
West Bengal, India, India
April 24, 2026, 23:24 IST
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