Plot To Kill Mallikarjun Kharge, Alleges Congress; BJP Denies Charge

An assassination plot has been hatched to "wipe out" Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, his wife and his entire family by a BJP candidate, the party general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala alleged on Saturday in a sensational charge that 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 Manikanta Rathod, the BJP candidate from Chittapur constituency in Kalaburagi district, 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," Mr Surjewala alleged.

He said that this was "the lowest political discourse anyone can stoop to" and that "the assassination plots have entered the electoral discourse of Karnataka". He also claimed that Mr Rathod was a "blue-eyed boy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai".

"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," Mr Surjewala added.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj 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."

Mr Rathod denied the charge and said that the audio was fake and fabricated by the Congress to malign him. He said that he had no intention of harming Mr 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.