Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, May 6: The Congress on Saturday accused a BJP candidate of hatching a plot to eliminate the party national president Mallikarjun Kharge and his family which the accused leader refuted but the chief minister Basavraj Bommai promised to “take it seriously” and inquire into the entire matter.
The Congress general secretary and in-charge of Karnataka Randdep Singh Surjewala claimed that an assassination plot had been hatched to “wipe out” Kharge, his wife and his entire family by BJP candidate from Chittapur constituency in Kalaburagi district Manikanta Rathod. The sensational charge was denied by the ruling party.
The Congress leader played an audio recording at a news conference days ahead of next week’s election, in which the is allegedly heard saying in Kannada that he will “wipe out Kharge, his wife and children.” “Intimidated by the all-round blessings of Kannadigas being showered on the Congress party and facing a complete rout in the ensuing Karnataka election, the BJP leaders are now hatching a plot to murder Sri Mallikarjun Kharge as also his family members,” Surjewala alleged.
He said this was “the lowest political discourse anyone can stoop to” and that “the assassination plots have entered the electoral discourse of Karnataka.” Indirectly he also raised an accusing finger against the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Chief Minister Bommai claiming that Rathod was a “blue-eyed boy of both these leaders.
“I know the prime minister will remain mute, and so will Karnataka police and the Election Commission of India. But people of Karnataka will not remain mute and will give a befitting reply,” Surjewala added. Bommai promised an inquiry into the allegations, saying, “We will take the matter seriously. We will inquire into the whole thing and the law will take its action.”
Rathod, however, denied the charge and counter accused the Congress of playing a “fake audio” to level allegations against him. He said the audio was fake and fabricated by the Congress to malign him. He said he had no intention of harming Kharge or his family and that he was confident of winning the election. “It is all a lie. They are playing some fake audio. The Congress is levelling baseless allegations fearing defeat,” he said.
The BJP leader was arrested on November 13, 2022, for allegedly threatening Priyank Kharge, who is the Congress candidate in Chittapur, with murder and later, released on bail. At a news conference then, he had said he was prepared to gun down Priyank Kharge.