Video of Congress leader plotting to kill BJP MLA goes viral

Bengaluru: A video clip showing Congress leader Gopalkrishna talking about "killing" and "finishing" S R Vishwanath, BJP MLA from the Yelahanka constituency in Bengaluru, has gone viral on social media. The video clip shows Gopalkrishna purportedly planning the murder of Vishwanath.

It is a three-minute video clip that shows the Congress leader in conversation with another person, who can be heard saying, "Kill him. Finish the MLA. Let it be Rs 1 crore or so. It's okay. Let's finish, no one should know...it should be between us."

The police said the video was undated and that they were probing the matter.

Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said, "The State police have taken the matter seriously...Vishwanath also spoke to me on the issue."

"I got to know about the video last night. Police will take a call on filing of an FIR. We will think of giving (Vishwanath) protection. The intelligence department will decide," said Jnanendra.

Reacting to this on Wednesday, Vishwanath told media persons that Gopalkrishna had contested against him and secured third position. "But I do not know why they conspired against me," he remarked.

"I have complained to the Home Minister about this and also informed the CM. They are not my rivals. I have never had any grudge against anyone in politics. The Congress, BJP and JD (S) MLAs have been calling since morning. This kind of hate politics is not good for our State," he said.

"This is not a good development. I have urged them to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter. I have known Kula Devaraj (a convict) but he is not from our party. They are attempting to include my name in a 32-acre land case. I am a landlord. I am not able to grow any crop in my own farm, why should I get land illegally," said Vishwanath.

"Yesterday evening, at around 7-7:30 - one Kulla Devaraj wrote an apology, saying he received supari (contract) from Gopalakrishna. He said he was under a threat for having rejected the supari....I then called the Home Minister immediately," the MLA said.

"I don't need any protection. I have faith in my strength. I don't need any security. They say that all rowdies of Bengaluru are with me. Are they all my friends, are they with saints? They are in good position and have good ideologies," Vishwanath said.

Denying the allegations, Gopalakrishna termed the videos as "fake".

"All of this is the MLA's plan. I don't have such a criminal mind. Let it be probed and I will cooperate with the police...It's true that I met Devaraj.. we discussed some land matters. Everything else is edited and manipulated. This has been done to tarnish my image. I will lodge a complaint against Devaraj and sue him," he said.

Gopalakrishna also demand a CBI probe into the 2017 assassination attempt on rowdy-turned-politician Kadabagere Srinivas, alluding to Vishwanath's involvement in it.

Meanwhile, favouring an impartial probe into the alleged conspiracy to eliminate Vishwanath, KPCC president D K Shivakumar said, "Let the guilty be punished. But this looks like an attempt to oppress political opponents. Also, all of Bengaluru's rowdies are with Vishwanath."