Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari has claimed his aide – Chandranath Rath, who was shot dead near his home in North 24 Parganas’ Madhyamgram – was killed because he defeated Trinamool leader Mamata Banerjee in the Bhabanipur election.
“He was killed because he was my aide and I defeated Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur. This could be the reason for his murder…” Adhikari told reporters Thursday after meeting Rath’s family. “No matter how much we condemn how this murder was carried out, it is not enough. I stand with his family’s demand… to apprehend those who committed this murder and ensure they are punished. The postmortem revealed four bullets were fired… this was premeditated.”
#WATCH | North 24 Parganas, West Bengal: The mortal remains of Chandranath Rath, PA of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, were brought from the hospital in Madhyamgram to his residence.
He says, “No matter how much we condemn the way this murder was carried out, it is not enough. He… pic.twitter.com/rNusFawpG9
— ANI (@ANI) May 7, 2026
Adhikari had earlier called the killing “cold-blooded murder”. Speaking to reporters outside the hospital where Rath had been taken after the attack, Adhikari said the incident was “heart-wrenching”.
Visuals showed the left front window of the car in which Rath was travelling cracked with bullet holes. Buddhadeb, Rath’s driver, was injured and was taken to a hospital after the attack. Adhikari was not with Rath when the attack happened.
RECAP | Suvendu Adhikari’s Personal Assistant Shot Dead Inside Car By Men On Bike
A special investigative team has been set up to investigate the murder.
“This incident is symptomatic of the culture of violence cultivated over the years by the Trinamool. He has been brutally murdered. This should be investigated. There is a deeper conspiracy behind the killing,” BJP leader Nikhil Prasun told NDTV.
The Trinamool condemned the murder and blamed “BJP-backed miscreants” for post-poll violence.
We strongly condemn the brutal murder of Chandranath Rath in Madhyamgram tonight, along with the killing of three other TMC workers in incidents of post-poll violence allegedly carried out by BJP-backed miscreants over the last three days, despite the Model Code of Conduct being…
— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) May 6, 2026
Adhikari – Banerjee’s confidante before he jumped to BJP before the 2021 Bengal election – defeated the Trinamool leader in her Bhabinipur stronghold by 15,106 votes. Adhikari defeated her in the last election too, winning Nandigram by 1,956 votes.
RECAP | 6 Reasons Why Mamata Lost Bhabanipur To Adhikari
The loss, coupled with the BJP’s thumping of the Trinamool, sent shockwaves through the country’s political circles. The BJP – held at bay by Mamata Banerjee for 15 years – swept this election by picking up 207 of the state’s 294 seats.
A furious Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP of “looting” its way to 100 seats because of measures like the SIR of voter lists and collusion with the Election Commission to replace select high-ranking police and government officials before voting.
She has since refused to resign as chief minister, setting up a potentially long-drawn legal and political squabble.