Kolkata - Chandranath Rath, the close aide of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari who was shot dead in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district, had lived an unusual life — from serving in the Indian Air Force to becoming one of the opposition leader's most trusted political associates.
Rath, 41, originally hailed from Chandipur in Purba Medinipur district, the same political turf that shaped Adhikari's rise in Bengal politics. Soft-spoken and low-profile, he remained largely away from public attention despite being part of Adhikari's inner circle for years.
Before entering politics, Rath spent nearly two decades in the Indian Air Force after completing his studies at Rahara Ramakrishna Mission. Those close to his family say he had once considered a spiritual life and was deeply influenced by the Ramakrishna Mission's values during his student years.
After taking voluntary retirement from the air force, he briefly worked in the corporate sector before gradually shifting into political coordination and administrative work.
His family, like Adhikari's, had earlier been associated with the Trinamool Congress. His mother held a position in a local panchayat body in Purba Medinipur during the TMC years before the family shifted allegiance to the BJP along with Adhikari in 2020.
Rath formally joined Adhikari's official team around 2019, when Adhikari was still serving as a minister in the Mamata Banerjee government. Over the years, he became a key backroom figure — coordinating organisational work, managing logistics, and maintaining communication with party workers. BJP insiders described him as someone who enjoyed Adhikari's complete confidence and was often involved in sensitive campaign and coordination assignments.
On Wednesday night, motorcycle-borne assailants allegedly intercepted his vehicle near Madhyamgram's Doharia area and opened fire at close range, killing him. Adhikari described the killing as "pre-planned," saying the attackers had "recced for 2 to 3 days."
His death has triggered sharp political reactions across Bengal and deepened the volatile atmosphere following the recent assembly election results.
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