BJP leader PC George makes U-turn on allegations of misappropriation of election funds

Thiruvananthapuram: BJP leader and former Poonjar MLA PC George Sunday made a U-turn on allegations of misappropriation of election funds in his constituency within the party that he had made publicly at a party meeting in July

Thiruvananthapuram: BJP leader and former Poonjar MLA PC George Sunday made a U-turn on allegations of misappropriation of election funds in his constituency within the party that he had made publicly at a party meeting in July.

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George (74), at an election review meeting in Erumely in July, had said that funds allocated by the party’s central unit for the election campaign in Poonjar had been misappropriated with even booth committees failing to receive money.

He had claimed that ₹4.45 crore had reportedly been allocated for the constituency during the Assembly election, but that a large portion of which had been misappropriated with some party leaders even buying cars with the loot. He named Saji Kurikkad, the party’s general secretary in charge of central region, as responsible for handling the money.

After the comments sparked row, the BJP leader made a U-turn on Sunday and claimed that two BJP leaders had misled him on the expenditure.

“The party leadership showed me the accounts. Even expenditure of ₹100 had been accounted for. I am now convinced that nobody stole the party funds,” he told reporters.

George said that he made a mistake in Erumely through the remarks and stated that Kurikkad was a respected person.

“I made a mistake and I apologise,” he said.

BJP state chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar claimed that the allegations of misappropriation of election funds was a “media creation.”

“Most of the news in this regard are not factually correct,” he said.