Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday, 7 May alleged that the murder of his executive assistant Chandranath Rath was directly linked to Mamata Banerjee's electoral defeat in the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency. Speaking to reporters in Kolkata, Adhikari described the killing as a pre-planned, cold-blooded act and demanded immediate arrest of the accused, days ahead of a swearing-in ceremony scheduled for 9 May.

Adhikari's Allegations

Adhikari was unequivocal about the motive he attributes to the killing. "He (Rath) was my executive assistant. And Mamata Banerjee had lost to Suvendu Adhikari in Bhabanipur according to the results of the Assembly polls. This is the only reason," he told reporters. He added, "This is a personal loss to me. If I was not a BJP leader, maybe he would have not been targeted."

Adhikari further alleged that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) was attempting to disrupt law and order in West Bengal ahead of the 9 May swearing-in ceremony. He accused the party of working for Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee, describing it in sharp terms as a politically organised gang.

Details of the Killing

Adhikari described the murder as meticulously planned, stating that a reconnaissance of the location was reportedly conducted before the attack. Citing post-mortem findings, he said four bullets were recovered from Rath's body, all targeting the heart at close range. "They targeted all the passages of the heart. The bullets were shot from a very close range," he said, adding that "the murderers were specialists and dangerous terrorists."

He also expressed anguish over the potential impact on the victim's family, saying he felt Rath's relatives might believe the killing would not have occurred had Rath not been associated with him or had Adhikari not defeated the former West Bengal Chief Minister in Bhabanipur.

Investigation Update

On the progress of the probe, Adhikari said the West Bengal Director General of Police (DGP) had informed him that the investigation had advanced. A motorcycle believed to have been used by the attackers was reportedly recovered from approximately 4 km from the site of the incident. Adhikari demanded that the accused be arrested immediately, charge-sheeted, and convicted at the earliest.

Political Response and What Comes Next

Adhikari expressed gratitude to the BJP and members of the public for standing by him during what he called a moment of personal crisis. Notably, several Left Front leaders also reached out to pay tribute to Rath, signalling cross-party concern over the incident. The murder has intensified political tensions in West Bengal at a particularly sensitive moment, and all eyes will be on whether investigators make arrests before the 9 May ceremony.