After the BJP swept the West Bengal Assembly Elections 2026, incidents of violence, including vandalism of properties, were reported from across the state. On Wednesday evening, the situation escalated when unknown assailants travelling in a vehicle intercepted the car carrying BJP leader and Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari’s personal secretary, Chandranath Rath, who was shot dead in North 24 Parganas.
Who Was Chandranath Rath?
Chandranath Rath was a former Indian Air Force officer before entering West Bengal politics, a journey that ultimately led to his death. He served in the IAF for over 18 years before beginning his political career. He had taken voluntary retirement, according to News18 citing sources.
The 41-year-old Chandranath, considered one of Suvendu Adhikari’s most trusted aides, was from Chandipur in Purba Medinipur. Those who knew him closely described him as a humble and soft-spoken person who was disciplined and deeply influenced by the Ramakrishna Mission, where he studied during his early years.
After taking voluntary retirement from the Air Force, Rath worked in the corporate sector before entering politics. His family had earlier been associated with the Trinamool Congress, and his mother, Hasi Rath, had held a position in a local panchayat body in Purba Medinipur. Like Adhikari, the family later shifted to the BJP in 2020.
Chandranath joined Adhikari's political core team in 2019, when Adhikari was still serving in Mamata Banerjee's government. Initially handling office coordination and administrative work, he gradually became a key organisational figure behind the scenes.
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After Adhikari joined the BJP, Chandranath was seen as someone who managed sensitive political assignments, campaign logistics and coordination with party workers. He was also closely involved in several crucial political campaigns, including the BJP’s high-profile Bhabanipur battle.
On April 30, three days before the West Bengal Assembly election results, when Mamata Banerjee visited the Bhabanipur strongroom at Shakhawat Memorial High School, Chandranath reached the spot with a small group of BJP supporters. In the absence of Suvendu Adhikari, who had left for his hometown Kanthi in East Midnapore that night, Chandranath led the BJP protest outside the counting centre.
He was seen getting into a heated altercation with police personnel, alleging that a TMC campaign vehicle had been illegally parked near the counting centre while Mamata Banerjee was inside. Following his complaint, BJP workers staged a protest, after which the vehicle was eventually removed with the intervention of police and CRPF personnel.