The mother of Chandranath Rath, a close aide of senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, on Thursday demanded life imprisonment for those behind her son’s murder. Speaking after Rath was shot dead in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, she said, “As a mother, I cannot seek death for anyone.”

Rath, who served as Adhikari’s executive assistant, was attacked by bike-borne assailants near Doltala in Madhyamgram on Wednesday night. According to police, the attackers intercepted his vehicle around 11 pm, forced it to stop and opened fire at point-blank range before fleeing.

Speaking to television channels, Rath’s mother alleged that the murder was politically motivated and linked it to the recent West Bengal Assembly election results.

She claimed the attack was “revenge for Mamata Banerjee’s defeat in Bhabanipur” and alleged that her son was targeted because of his involvement in the elections.

“He was responsible for the Nandigram and Bhabanipur elections, and that is why he was targeted,” she said.

Rath’s mother also referred to statements allegedly made by leaders of the ruling Trinamool Congress during the election campaign. She claimed that while Adhikari had appealed for peaceful polling, some TMC leaders had warned that after the May 4 election results, “no leader from Delhi would be able to save BJP workers”. “They proved it right,” she added.

Senior BJP leaders visited Rath’s residence on Thursday and met his family members after the killing.

Party leaders said the family would take a final call on the last rites after the post-mortem examination was completed.

“The family’s wishes are most important at this moment. The decisions about the last rites will be taken after consultations with the family,” a senior BJP leader told news agency PTI.

The post-mortem examination began on Thursday morning at Barasat Government Medical College and Hospital amid heavy deployment of Central Armed Police Forces, a senior police officer said.

BJP workers gathered outside the hospital where Rath had been taken after the shooting and demanded immediate arrests in the case.

The killing has triggered a major political controversy in West Bengal, with the BJP alleging targeted violence against its workers after the Assembly election results.

Police have launched an investigation into the murder. No arrests had been announced till Thursday evening.