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On ‘plot to kill Kharge’ claim, BJP candidate says ‘surprised…laughed a lot’
Congress has alleged that a sinister and ugly plot is being hatched by the BJP to kill its party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and his family.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Manikanta Rathod on Sunday dismissed the allegations of plotting to kill Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and his family ahead of Karnataka assembly elections, saying the audio clip circulated on social media is fake. Rathod told reporters he was surprised by the allegations levelled by Congress which is “scared of losing the election.”
"I was very surprised and laughed a lot that Congress is so scared of losing the election. So that's why they're making such false allegations. I have registered a complaint against Congress."
"The videos that are being circulated by Congress on social media are false and I have not threatened anyone," he added.
Congress on Saturday alleged that a "sinister and "ugly plot" is being hatched by the BJP to kill its party president 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 could be heard using derogatory language for Kharge and talking about eliminating him and along with 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.”
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 arrested on November 13 last year for allegedly threatening Priyank Kharge with murder, and was later released on bail.
