Lok Sabha Elections 2019: Ex-RLSP men accuse Kushwaha of selling party tickets, claim money trail - Hindustan Times
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Lok Sabha Elections 2019: Ex-RLSP men accuse Kushwaha of selling party tickets, claim money trail

Hindustan Times, Patna | By, Patna
Mar 13, 2019 11:37 AM IST

Incidentally, Anand and Mishra held the post of national general secretary in the RLSP and the latter was expelled from the party on Sunday, following his meeting with chief minister Nitish Kumar.

Former union minister Nagmani on Tuesday said he was forced to part ways with the RLSP due the “dictatorial approach” of party chief Upendra Kushwaha, who, he alleged, has also sold a “party ticket for Rs 9 crore.”

Nagmani was also stripped of his post of national working president on charges of anti-party activities after he shared dais with the CM on February 8 and praised his governance model.(HT)
Nagmani was also stripped of his post of national working president on charges of anti-party activities after he shared dais with the CM on February 8 and praised his governance model.(HT)

Levelling charges against the RLSP president at a press meet, Nagmani said, “Kushwaha has already sealed the deal for Motihari Lok Sabha seat for a consideration of Rs 9 crore with Madhaw Anand ahead of 2019 polls, even as he continued to accept monetary gratification from another contender, Pradeep Mishra, for the same seat.”

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Incidentally, Anand and Mishra held the post of national general secretary in the RLSP and the latter was expelled from the party on Sunday, following his meeting with chief minister Nitish Kumar.

Nagmani was also stripped of his post of national working president on charges of anti-party activities after he shared dais with the CM on February 8 and praised his governance model.

Mishra was present during the media briefing along with 10 other RLSP office bearers, most of whom have shared his fate. “Kushwaha has accepted two account to account transfers of Rs 45 lakh each in his SBI, Parliament House branch account—31286341829—in the name of giving party ticket for Motihari LS seat,” Mishra said.

The former RLSP national general secretary also claimed to have spent Rs 10-15 crore for running the party and Rs 55 lakh for organising Siksha Sudhar Rally in Gandhi Maidan. He also claimed to have sponsored domestic and foreign trips of Kushwaha.

“But when the time for parliamentary polls arrived, RLSP chief has preferred Anand, a liaison man of the tainted Essar Group, over me for his services in arranging a sum of Rs 9 crore from them (Ruia brothers) and ‘lock’ Motihari LS seat for him in return,” Mishra alleged, promising more “disclosures” in the days to come.

Nagmani said the charges were true and Mishra was ready to face income tax scrutiny over the transactions. He also demanded a CBI inquiry in the matter, even as he reiterated his desire to take on Kushwaha in Karakat Lok Sabha seat.

Mishra, who termed his revelation as a ‘surgical strike’ against RLSP chief, also claimed the money transfer was all in white and said he would pass all information to the Election Commission and even file an FIR in the matter.

He, however, had no answer whethers his revelations on corrupt practice would kill the chances of his entry in JD (U), which practised a ‘zero tolerance’ on matters related to shady dealings (give and take).

Prominent among those who pledged support to Nagmani, express faith in CM Kumar and ensure NDA win on 40 LS seats included Abhayanand Suman, Santosh Kumar Prasad, Rajeev Jaiswal, Kranti Prakash, Amarendra Verma and Chunne Khan.

Meanwhile, Kushwaha has thanked Nagmani for demanding a CBI probe for ascertaining the truth behind the allegations. “I strongly support the demand made by elder brother Nagmaniji. I will be obliged, if he succeeds in getting a CBI probe recommended by the chief minister. It will also help in confirming his new found closeness with the CM,” he said.

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    With 23 years of experience as a journalist with the Hindustan Times, Anil Kumar has been covering a wide variety of news and issues. He has interest in business and has covered political beats, especially the Congress and the JD(U).

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