Kolkata | Updated: May 6, 2026, 21:45 IST
In a dramatic escalation of political tensions following the BJP’s landslide victory in West Bengal, Suvendu Adhikari’s executive assistant, Chandranath Rath, was shot dead by unidentified assailants in the Madhyamgram area of North 24 Parganas district late Wednesday night.
The incident marks a bloody postscript to the high-voltage assembly elections, occurring just 48 hours after Suvendu Adhikari led the Bharatiya Janata Party to a historic mandate, unseating the Trinamool Congress (TMC) regime.
Point-Blank Attack in Madhyamgram
According to police sources and eyewitness accounts, Chandranath Rath was ambushed while seated inside a vehicle on a public road in Madhyamgram near Kolkata. Reports indicate that the attackers, believed to be motorcycle-borne, fired at least four rounds from point-blank range.
“The assailants targeted him specifically. Three bullets hit the victim, with the nature of the injuries suggesting no chance of survival,” a police official said. News agency PTI confirmed that Suvendu Adhikari’s aide sustained multiple bullet injuries, including fatal shots to the head .
Following the attack, local residents gathered at the scene while a large contingent of police arrived to cordon off the area. Senior officers have launched a forensic investigation, scouring the spot for evidence and CCTV footage to identify the assailants.
Aide’s Role and Political Reactions
Chandranath Rath served as the Executive Assistant to the Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly. Described as a “constant shadow” of Suvendu Adhikari, Rath had been working closely with the BJP strongman for the past five years, particularly during the party’s aggressive campaign to dethrone the Mamata Banerjee-led government .
The killing has sent shockwaves through the political corridors of Kolkata. Suvendu Adhikari, who is currently the front-runner for the Chief Minister’s post and fresh off a massive victory from both Nandigram and Bhabanipur, has yet to issue a detailed statement, but security around the Leader of the Opposition has been immediately tightened.
BJP Alleges TMC Hand; Calls for Peace
The BJP leadership has been quick to raise questions about law and order in the state, pointing fingers at the TMC. Party insiders allege that the killing is a direct fallout of the election defeat, a form of “revenge politics” aimed at decimating the party’s organizational network in the districts.
“Chandranath Rath was a dedicated worker. To target a personal staff member of Suvendu Adhikari in such a cowardly manner shows the frustration of the opposition. We demand a thorough probe and immediate arrest of the killers,” a senior BJP spokesperson said in Delhi.
However, echoing the statements made by Suvendu Adhikari earlier on Wednesday in Nandigram, the party is urging its cadre to maintain restraint.
Just hours before the incident, Suvendu Adhikari had publicly appealed to his supporters to not take the law into their hands. “Maintain peace and discipline. Do not touch any Trinamool party office. Oppressors never triumph,” Suvendu Adhikari had told party workers during a visit to Nandigram, where he reiterated his commitment to a “corruption-free Bengal” .
A Troubling Pattern of Post-Poll Violence
The murder of Chandranath Rath has rekindled memories of the post-poll violence of 2021, where BJP workers were allegedly targeted by TMC-backed groups. While the scale is currently limited compared to five years ago, the assassination of a key aide to the incoming power center signals deep-rooted frictions at the grassroots level.
As the BJP prepares to form its first government in West Bengal in decades, the administration faces the immediate challenge of controlling the volatile security situation and preventing a cycle of reprisal attacks. Suvendu Adhikari has maintained that the party will pursue “legal channels” to address grievances rather than mob justice .
The victim’s body has been sent for post-mortem, and police have launched a manhunt for the assailants. The area in Madhyamgram remains under high security as investigations continue.
(This is a breaking news story. More details are awaited as the investigation progresses.)
