West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari Links Aide's Murder to Abhishek Banerjee Ahead of By-Polls

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has alleged that a group he called the Bhaipo gang, referring to Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee, was responsible for the murder of his personal assistant, Chandranath Rath. Speaking at a rally in Haldia, Adhikari claimed that 2 crore rupees were arranged by the gang to fund the shootout. He stated that the murder was a targeted hit because Rath was assisting him as the Leader of the Opposition. The CBI is currently investigating the case as an inter-state crime, and seven people have been arrested. However, one report notes that in July, the CBI arrested two BJP workers for allegedly planning the murder.

The BJP has fielded Hasirani Rath, the mother of the slain assistant, as its candidate for the Nandigram assembly seat in the by-elections scheduled for October 6. Adhikari, who won both Nandigram and Bhabanipur in the May elections, chose to represent Bhabanipur after the BJP won 207 seats to take power in the state. The BJP also fielded Sakharav Sarkar for the Rejinagar seat.

The upcoming by-polls are complicated by a split within the Trinamool Congress. Two factions, one led by Mamata Banerjee and another by Ritabrata Banerjee, have both named candidates and are currently disputing the right to use the party symbol before the Election Commission of India. The deadline for filing nominations is September 16, with results expected on October 9.