KOLKATA: The murder of Chandranath Rath, a close aide of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, sparked a political confrontation in West Bengal on Thursday, with the BJP accusing the ruling TMC of fostering “lawlessness” in the state. The Mamata Banerjee-led party, however, rejected the allegations. The incident comes within 48 hours of the assembly poll verdict. Chandranath Rath, Adhikari’s executive assistant, was shot dead in an attack at Madhyamgram on Wednesday night, escalating tension in the area, according to news agency PTI. According to preliminary information, motorcycle-borne assailants intercepted Rath’s vehicle near Doltala in Madhyamgram around 10.30 pm. The attackers allegedly forced the vehicle to stop and opened fire at point-blank range before fleeing the scene. Senior BJP leaders on Thursday alleged that the killing reflected the “complete collapse” of law and order in the state under the TMC government, which was “thrown out of power” in the assembly polls. “A person closely associated with the leader of the opposition was targeted in a planned manner. This shows how law and order have deteriorated under the Mamata Banerjee government, which the people of Bengal have thrown out of power,” a BJP leader said. Adhikari on Thursday described the killing of his close aide as a “cold-blooded murder” and alleged that the attackers had conducted a recce before carrying out the attack in North 24 Parganas district. According to news agency PTI, the Trinamool Congress dismissed the allegations and accused the BJP of attempting to politicize the incident before the investigation had progressed.“The TMC has nothing to do with this unfortunate incident. The police are investigating the case professionally. The BJP should refrain from making baseless allegations. We are the ones who demanded a CBI probe of the killing,” a senior Trinamool leader said. The Congress demanded a transparent investigation and criticized both the BJP and the TMC for “turning every tragedy into a political battle”.“The focus should remain on arresting the killers and ensuring justice, not on political point-scoring,” a state Congress leader said. The CPI(M) also condemned the killing and expressed concern over the deteriorating political atmosphere in the state.“Violence and fear have increasingly become part of Bengal’s political culture under the TMC rule. The administration must act firmly and impartially. We condemn the killing and demand strict action against those involved in the crime,” a senior CPI(M) leader said.
