07 May,2026 01:37 PM IST | Kolkata | mid-day online correspondent
Samik Bhattacharya. Pic/PTI
Chandranath Rath murder The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday intensified its attack on the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in West Bengal following the murder of Chandranath Rath, a close aide of senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari. The BJP described the killing as evidence of a "complete collapse" of law and order in the state.
Rath, who served as the executive assistant to Adhikari, was allegedly shot dead by bike-borne assailants on Wednesday night, barely two days after the Assembly election results were declared. The incident has triggered a political storm in the state, with the BJP alleging targeted political violence and the TMC rejecting the accusations.
West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya claimed that the nature of the attack indicated it was not an ordinary criminal act.
"This is not an ordinary murder," Bhattacharya said while addressing reporters. "From what has emerged through video footage, police statements and media reports, the car was stopped first and then a hole was made in the window before the shooting. The modus operandi is different."
Bhattacharya questioned whether the incident was intended to send a political message ahead of several high-profile visits to the state in the coming days.
"In two days, the Prime Minister, the Union Home Minister, the Defence Minister and several chief ministers are expected to visit the state for a major event. Was this incident meant to send a political message? The politically aware people of West Bengal will understand this," he said.
The BJP leader also alleged that party workers continued to face attacks despite the party's electoral victory in the state. "While we are the ones who won the election, we are also the ones who are dying," he said.
Bhattacharya further alleged that the situation could have been worse had the TMC secured another term in power. "Had the TMC emerged victorious, the scale of violence would have been much higher," he claimed.
The Trinamool Congress dismissed the BJP's allegations and accused the saffron party of politicising the murder for electoral gains. Leaders from the ruling party condemned the killing while maintaining that the matter should be investigated thoroughly by law enforcement agencies.
The murder has drawn condemnation from multiple political parties, particularly because of its timing and the high-profile nature of the victim's association with Adhikari, one of the BJP's most prominent faces in West Bengal politics.
Amid rising political tensions, Bhattacharya appealed to BJP workers to maintain peace and avoid retaliatory actions.
"I appeal to the entire BJP family to remain calm. Regardless of who initiates violence, we have a responsibility to maintain peace in West Bengal," he said.
Police officials are continuing their investigation into the murder, including examination of CCTV footage and forensic evidence collected from the crime scene. No arrests had been officially announced till Thursday evening.
(With inputs from PTI)
