Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president A. Revanth Reddy, along with party leaders, lodged a complaint at the Jubilee Hills police station on Sunday against the “life threat to party president Mallikarjun Kharge by BJP candidate Manikanta Rathod” from Chittapur Assembly constituency in Karnataka.
In the complaint, Mr. Reddy said that Mr. Rathod threatened to do away with the life of Mr. Kharge and his entire family at a recent conversation and the audio clip was going viral.
“This news is going viral across the nation, including Telangana. Our party followers and sympathisers are in panic. If such threats by BJP leaders are not curbed in the initial stage, it may promote enmity among the cadre of the two parties, which in turn may escalate the issue. I request you to take action against those involved in threatening our president,” said Mr. Reddy in the complaint.
Speaking to reporters at the police station later, Mr. Reddy said that at Chittapur constituency, Priyank Kharge has been contesting the elections as Congress candidate and BJP has been trying to defeat him by pitting a rowdy-sheeter. “Unable to face Mallikarjun Kharge in Parliament, BJP got him defeated in 2019 elections. Now, it is targeting his son. I dare Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders to expel Mr. Rathod from the party if they are sincere,” he said.
The TPCC president also expressed confidence that the Congress would come to power in Karntaka under the leadership of Mr. Kharge.