In this May 6, 2026 file photo, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari’s personal assistant Chandranath Rath was shot dead by unidentified assailants in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district on Wednesday (May 6, 2026). | Photo credit: PTI
Chandranath Rath, a close aide to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, who was gunned down in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, has taken an unusual path – from serving in the Indian Air Force to becoming one of the opposition leader’s most trusted political associates.
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Rath, 41, originally hailed from Chandipur in Purba Medinipur district, the political turf that shaped Mr. Adhikari’s rise in Bengali politics, party sources said.
A quiet and unassuming man, he has remained largely out of the public eye despite being part of Mr Adhikari’s inner circle for years.
Before joining active political organizational work, Rath spent nearly two decades in the Indian Air Force after completing his studies at the Rahara Ramakrishna Mission.
People close to the family said he had once contemplated a spiritual life and was deeply influenced by the ethos of the Ramakrishna Mission during his student years.
Chandrakant’s life after retirement
After taking voluntary retirement from the Air Force, he worked briefly in the corporate sector before gradually moving into policy coordination and administrative responsibilities.
His family, like Mr. Adhikari’s, was earlier associated with the Trinamool Congress.
His mother Hasi Rath held a position in the local panchayat body in Purba Medinipur during the TMC years before shifting allegiance to the BJP in 2020 along with Adhikari.
Family acquaintances said the connection between the Rath family and Mr. Adhikari goes back more than two decades to the early years of TMC’s expansion in Purba Medinipur.
Rath formally became part of Mr Adhikari’s official team around 2019 when he served as a minister in Mamata Banerjee’s government.
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Suvendu Adhikari Troubleshooter
He initially performed the duties associated with Mr. Adhikari’s ministerial office and later continued in a similar role after Mr. Adhikari switched to the saffron camp.
Over the years, Rath emerged as a key figure behind Mr. Adhikari’s political operations, coordinating organizational work, managing logistics and maintaining communication with party workers.
BJP insiders described him as someone who enjoyed Mr. Adhikari’s complete trust and was often involved in sensitive campaign management and political coordination tasks.
He was also part of the core team during several high-voltage political battles, including the BJP’s Bhabanipur campaign.
There was even speculation within sections of the BJP organization that Rath might be given more administrative responsibilities if Mr Adhikari were to assume a bigger role in the government after the general elections.
These discussions came to an abrupt end on Wednesday (May 6, 2026) night when motorcycle-borne assailants allegedly intercepted his vehicle near Madhyamgram area of Doharia and opened fire at close range.
His killing sparked sharp political reactions in Bengal and intensified the already volatile atmosphere following the Assembly election results.
Published – 07 May 2026 06:31 IST
