Slain Chandranath Rath: From air force serviceman to Suvendu’s trusted troubleshooter

Chandranath Rath, a close aide of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari who was shot dead in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, had traveled an unusual path from serving in the Indian Air Force to becoming one of the Opposition leader’s most trusted political partners.

Party sources said Rath, 41, originally hails from Chandipur in Purba Medinipur district, the political area that shaped Mr. Adhikari’s rise in Bengal politics.

Soft-spoken and low-profile, he has remained largely out of the public spotlight despite being part of Mr. Adhikari’s inner circle for years.

Before taking up active political organizing work, Rath had spent nearly two decades in the Indian Air Force after completing his training at the Rahara Ramakrishna Mission.

People close to the family said he once considered a spiritual life and was deeply influenced by the Ramakrishna Mission ethos during his student years.

After voluntary retirement from the Air Force, he worked briefly in the corporate sector and then gradually moved into political coordination and administrative responsibilities.

His family, like Mr. Adhikari’s family, was previously associated with the Trinamool Congress.

His mother, Hasi Rath, had served in a local panchayat in Purba Medinipur during the TMC years before switching allegiance to the BJP along with Adhikari in 2020.

Family acquaintances said the connection between the Rath family and Mr. Adhikari dates back more than two decades, dating back to the early years of TMC’s expansion in Purba Medinipur.

Rath officially became part of Mr. Adhikari’s official team around 2019, when he served as a Minister in the Mamata Banerjee government.

He initially took on responsibilities associated with Mr. Adhikari’s ministerial office and later continued in a similar post after Mr. Adhikari switched to the saffron camp.

Over the years, Rath has emerged as a key backroom figure in Mr. Adhikari’s political operations, coordinating organizational work, managing logistics and maintaining contact with party workers.

BJP insiders described him as someone who had Mr. Adhikari’s full confidence and was often involved in sensitive tasks linked to campaign management and political coordination.

He was also part of the core team during many high-voltage political clashes, including the BJP’s Bhabanipur campaign.

There was even speculation in some sections of the BJP organization that Rath might be given greater administrative responsibility if Mr Adhikari takes on a larger role in the government after the Assembly elections.

Also Read: West Bengal elections: Trinamool involved in 64% poll violence in last decade

These discussions came to an abrupt end on Wednesday night, May 6, 2026, when assailants allegedly on motorcycles stopped his vehicle near Doharia area of ​​Madhyamgram and opened fire at close range.

His killing triggered harsh political reactions in Bengal and further intensified the already volatile atmosphere following the Assembly election results.