Chandranath Rath: Suvendu Adhikari’s trusted aide who once wanted to be a monk

Chandranath Rath, the long-time personal assistant and close confidant of Suvendu Adhikari, who was shot dead by bike-borne assailants in Madhyamgram, had become an inseparable part of the BJP leader’s political and organisational machinery over the past several years.

Known within political circles as Adhikari’s “Man Friday”, Rath handled nearly every aspect of the leader of Opposition’s day-to-day political operations — from coordinating hectic schedules and managing confidential files to organising meetings, preparing groundwork for political programmes and handling calls.

A former serviceman of the Indian Air Force, 42-year-old Rath hailed from Chandipur in East Midnapore district, the political stronghold of the Adhikari family. His family had longstanding ties with the Adhikari household, dating back to the period when Suvendu Adhikari was still associated with the Trinamool Congress.

After serving in the Air Force for nearly 18 years, Rath joined Adhikari full-time in 2019, when the latter was a minister in the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government during the Trinamool Congress’ second term in power.

When Adhikari switched allegiance to the BJP ahead of the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections, Rath remained by his side and quickly emerged as one of his most trusted associates.

Following Adhikari’s victory from the Nandigram assembly constituency in 2021 — where he defeated Mamata Banerjee — and his appointment as leader of Opposition in the assembly, Rath formally took charge as his personal assistant.

Over time, Rath’s influence within Adhikari’s political ecosystem grew significantly. Ahead of this year’s Assembly elections, it had become a common remark in political and media circles that if the BJP formed the government in West Bengal and Adhikari became Chief Minister, Rath would likely serve as the Executive Assistant to the state’s first BJP Chief Minister since Independence.

The BJP eventually registered a sweeping victory in the state, with Adhikari defeating Mamata Banerjee from the Bhabanipur assembly constituency while also retaining his traditional stronghold in Nandigram.

Despite his deep involvement in politics, family members say Rath remained spiritually inclined throughout his life. According to relatives, he had once expressed a desire to become a monk during his student days before eventually choosing a career in the armed forces and later in politics.

With IANS inputs