Bengaluru: Congress general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala on Saturday alleged that there is a conspiracy to destroy Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, his wife and his family by a BJP candidate. Rejected by the ruling party.
In a press conference days ahead of next week’s polls, the Congress leader released an audio in which Manikanda Rathod, the BJP candidate from Chittapur constituency in Kalaburaki district, allegedly said in Kannada, “I will destroy Kharke and his wife”. Children”.

“BJP leaders showering the blessings of Kannadigas on the Congress party and facing complete defeat in the upcoming Karnataka elections are now plotting to kill Shri Mallikarjun Kharge and his family members,” alleged Mr. Surjewala. .

He said it was “the lowest political speech anyone can stoop to” and “an assassination plot has entered Karnataka’s election debate”. He also said Mr Rathod was “the blue-eyed boy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Basavaraj doll”.

“I know the Prime Minister will be mute and so will the Karnataka Police and the Election Commission of India. But the people of Karnataka will not remain silent and will respond befittingly,” Mr Surjewala added.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bombay promised an inquiry into the allegations, saying, “We will take the matter seriously. The law will take its course after investigating the entire matter.”

Denying the charge, Mr Rathod said the audio was fake and fabricated by the Congress to malign him. He said he had no intention of harming Mr Kharge or his family and was confident of winning the election.

“All that is false. They are playing some fake audio. Congress is making baseless allegations out of fear of failure,” he said.

The BJP leader was arrested on November 13, 2022 and later released on bail for threatening to kill Congress candidate Priyank Kharge in Chittapur. At the then press conference, he had said that he was ready to shoot Priyank Kharge.