BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari has accused Congress of Rs 7 crore cash-for-ticket deal in Haryana. He cited claims made by Gaurav Kumar, who alleged payments to senior Congress leaders and their aides in exchange for a Bawal Assembly ticket.
A fresh political controversy has erupted after BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari accused the Congress of being involved in an alleged 'cash-for-ticket' deal in Haryana. Speaking at a press conference in Delhi and posting on social media, Bhandari claimed that serious allegations have been made by Gaurav Kumar, the husband of a Haryana Mahila Congress General Secretary. According to Bhandari, Kumar has accused senior Congress leaders of taking large sums of money in exchange for promising an election ticket for the Bawal Assembly seat.
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The Congress has not yet issued an official response to these specific claims.
Allegations of Rs 7 crore payment
Bhandari said that, as per Kumar’s allegations, a total of Rs 7 crore was taken in exchange for assuring him a Congress ticket from Bawal in Haryana. According to the claims:
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- Rs 1.6 crore was allegedly paid to Kodikunnil Suresh, a Member of Parliament.
- Money was allegedly transferred to Anas, said to be the personal assistant of K. C. Venugopal, the Congress Organisational General Secretary.
- The payments were allegedly made into parliamentary salary accounts.
- Bhandari further alleged that even after one-and-a-half years, the money has not been returned.
- He also claimed that Rs 35 lakh was allegedly taken by Sadaap Khan, said to be the personal assistant of Priyanka Gandhi. According to him, when a refund was requested, the concerned Congress leader allegedly behaved rudely.
- These claims have not been independently verified.
Alleged payments at 10 Janpath
Bhandari alleged that money was handed over at 10 Janpath, the residence associated with senior Congress leadership. He claimed that payments were made to the personal assistants of Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi.
He said the total amount reached Rs 7 crore, including multiple instalments and additional expenses.
The BJP spokesperson further claimed that Kumar alleged similar large collections from contractors in southern India. He mentioned figures such as Rs 100 crore, Rs 200 crore and Rs 50 crore, which Kumar allegedly said were collected through comparable arrangements.
No documentary proof has been publicly presented by the BJP at this stage to support these wider claims.
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WhatsApp chats and political attack
At the press conference, Bhandari claimed that WhatsApp chats had revealed how senior Congress leaders allegedly used K.C. Venugopal as a 'front' in the matter.
He accused the Gandhi-Vadra family of silence over the issue. In his remarks, he said the matter showed how elections were allegedly being used to fund personal lifestyles through corruption and cut money in ticket distribution.
The BJP has framed the issue as proof of what it calls systemic corruption within the Congress party.
As of now, Congress leaders named in the allegations, including K.C. Venugopal and Kodikunnil Suresh, have not publicly responded to the charges mentioned by Bhandari.
