Father paid Rs 6 cr for ticket: AAP candidate’s son

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 11

A fresh controversy erupted on the eve of polling in Delhi after the son of AAP’s West Delhi candidate Balbir Singh Jakhar today claimed that he paid Rs 6 crore to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to contest the Lok Sabha polls, but Jakhar denied it saying his son was lying and that they had estranged ties.

Jakhar’s son Uday claimed he had “credible evidence” to support his allegations and that he had chosen to speak out with it because of his “conscience”.

“An amateur politician getting a ticket was surprising at first. I brought it upon my conscience to question this. When I asked my father for assistance to pay for my education abroad, he was unable to do so. He resisted and said he was going to use the money for his own political benefit,” he claimed.

Uday also claimed that his father was willing to pay the bail money for Yashpal Singh and Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, both convicts in cases related to anti-Sikh riots.

“My father was not associated with the Anna Hazare movement. Kejriwal, who claims to fight against corruption, has sold the Lok Sabha ticket to a man without any political background. I demand evidence from AAP about the association of Jakhar with AAP,” Uday asked. He appealed to voters not to elect people who can “sell the country”.

However, Jakhar, in a press conference, denied the allegations, saying his son was lying and he had never stayed with him. He said after his divorce, his son stayed with his maternal grandparents and the allegations might be “politically motivated”.

Jakhar said the custody of his son was with his first wife. He said he last talked to his son in December 2018, so his claim that he told him that he has given Rs 6 crore for the West Delhi ticket was false.

He refused to comment on his son’s claim on 1984 riots, saying he would answer everything on Monday when the 48-hour-long silence period prior to polling is lifted. He said the AAP would soon respond to all allegations with proofs.

Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia in a separate press conference backed Jakhar and said he was not in touch with his son from the first marriage.

Meanwhile, the BJP sought an explantation from Kejriwal on the matter.