Hubbali, May 8 (IANS): Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, in an emotional appeal, on Monday called upon the people of Karnataka to take pride in the fact that a 'Bhoomiputra' (son of the soil) is heading the party.

Speaking at his home constituency Kalburagi, he said that he is 81 years old and if someone wants to finish him off, they could.

The veteran leader was touching upon an alleged audio of BJP candidate at Chittarpur constituency, Manikanta Rathode in which he allegedly stated that he would wipe out the entire family of Kharge.

It is to be noted that Rathode is having several criminal cases, including murder, against him and is fighting against Kharge's son, Priyank Kharge.

Kharge said: "Some BJP leaders would be behind the utterances of this man. Otherwise how can he get the courage to speak in an audio that he would finish off Kharge's family?"

At a public meeting, Kharge said that no one could finish him off that easily.

"I have Babasaheb's (Ambedkar) Constitution to protect me. I have the people of Karnataka behind me and now after becoming the Congress president, the people of the country are behind me."

He said that there was a conspiracy angle behind this and senior BJP leaders would have supported this.

Kharge called upon the people of Kalaburgi to vote for Congress to win all Assembly seats in the district and in the neighbouring Yadgir district. He said that the Congress leadership has made him its chief and that Kalaburgi must return that by making Congress candidates win the polls.

He said that in Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was speaking about saving his dignity by making all BJP candidates win the elections as he was the "bhoomiputra" of Gujarat. Kharge said that in a similar vein, he was the "bhoomiputra" of Karnataka and hence, people should vote for Congress and make it win the elections.