A self-styled political power broker dogged by innuendo and scandal has sought to take the sheen of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Anil K. Antony’s campaign in the Pathanamthitta Lok Sabha constituency.
T.G. Nandakumar, who goes by the sobriquet ‘Dalal’ Nandakumar, has accused Mr. Anil K. Antony of using influence and intrigue for profit when his father, Congress veteran A.K. Antony, was the Defence Minister in the Manmohan Singh government in 2013.
In Kochi, Mr. Nandakumar, whose name has been linked to questionable practices and top politicians across the aisle, alleged that he had paid Mr. Anil K. Antony ₹25 lakh in April 2013 as bribe to get a lawyer friend of his appointed as Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) standing counsel in the Kerala High Court.
However, when the deal failed, Mr. Nandakumar said he sought the help of Congress veteran P.J. Kurien and the late P.T. Thomas, MLA, to persuade Mr. Anil K. Antony to return the bribe.
Mr. Nandakumar dared Mr. Anil K. Antony to refute the charge so he could adduce more evidence in the public domain. He alleged that the fear of a central investigation into his “past deals” had prompted Mr. Anil K. Antony to forsake his Congress legacy and join Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s political bandwagon.
Mr. Kurien told reporters in Kottayam that Mr. Nandakumar had discussed the subject with him. “Mr. Nandakumar sought my help, claiming that Mr. Anil K. Antony owed him money,” he said.
Mr. Kurien said he could not recall whether he had broached the subject with Mr. A.K. Antony or Mr. Anil K. Antony and was in the dark about any deal. “I am only certain that Mr. A.K. Antony is not party to it,” he added.
Mr. Anil K. Antony countered with a vitriolic attack on Mr. Kurien, terming the veteran politician a backstabber.
He claimed that Mr. Kurien had introduced him to Mr. Nandakumar. “I cut him (Nandakumar) off after he beset me with favour requests,” he said. He alleged that his Congress rival in Pathanamthitta, Anto Antony, MP, resorted to underhand tactics, fearing defeat. “I am a Stanford alumnus. I will never stoop low.”
BJP leader P.C. George sided with Mr. Anil K. Antony. He said he suspected Mr. Nandakumar’s credibility.
