'Plotting to assassinate' Kharge: Congress's big claim on BJP's 'blue-eyed boy'

The Congress on Saturday claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was planning to assassinate party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and his family. Congress played an audio clip at a press briefing in Bengaluru, claiming that the BJP candidate from Chittapur Manikanta Rathod used abusive language for Kharge and could be heard talking about eliminating him and his family.

"Plotting to assassinate the president of Congress Shri Mallikarjun Kharge, his wife and his children is not something that anybody should brush aside," Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said.

"And it's not an ordinary person. It is the blue-eyed boy, the Chittapur BJP candidate whose track record you know better than me, 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.”

Congress media and publicity department head Pawan Khera was also present at the party briefing in Bengaluru.

Congress later shared the audio clip on social media. HT couldn't independently verify the authenticity of the clip.

Warning: Abusive language

Rathod rejected the charges outright and said, “It is all a lie. They are playing some fake audio. The Congress is leveling baseless allegations fearing defeat.”

Manikanta Rathod is contesting from the Chittapur constituency against Congress's Priyank Kharge, son of Mallikarjun Kharge. The controversial candidate, who is facing over 30 criminal cases, was earlier banished from Kalaburagi for a year. He was also arrested on November 13 last year for allegedly threatening Priyank Kharge with murder, and was later released on bail.

In a media conference then, he had openly expressed his readiness to shoot down Priyank Kharge.

"Intimidated by the all-round blessing of Kannadigas being showered on the Congress Party and facing a complete rout in the ensuing assembly elections, BJP and its leadership are now resorting to hatching a "murder plot" to kill AICC President, Mallikarjun Kharge, his wife and the entire family. This is clear from the audio recording of BJP Candidate from Chittapur, Manikanta Rathod, who also happens to be the 'blue-eyed boy' of PM Narendra Modi and PM Basavaraj Bommai," read the Congress statement.

Congress's allegations came just before PM Modi's mega roadshow in Bengaluru.

(With PTI inputs)