Congress alleges plot by BJP candidate to kill Mallikarjun Kharge and family; saffron party functionary denies charge

Bengaluru, May 6

An assassination plot has been hatched to “wipe out” Congress president M 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.

Surjewala also shared an audio recording, allegedly of the BJP candidate from Chittapur constituency in Kalaburagi district, Manikanta Rathod, in which he is purportedly heard saying in Kannada that he will wipe out “Kharge, his wife and children”.

Rathod rejected the charges saying, “It is all a lie. They are playing a fake audio. The Congress is levelling baseless allegations fearing defeat.”

Addressing a press conference here, Surjewala said, “I am going to play for you an audio recording of an assassination plot to wipe out none less than the All India Congress Committee president Mallikarjun Kharge, his wife, and his entire family as being hatched by the BJP leaders. There can be nothing more serious than that.”

He said, “Assassination plots have entered the electoral discourse of Karnataka and this is the lowest political discourse anyone can stoop to.”

“Intimidated by the all-round blessings of Kannadigas being showered on the Congress and facing the prospect of a complete rout in the ensuing Karnataka election, the BJP leaders are now hatching a plot to murder Mallikarjun Kharge and his family,” Surjewala alleged.