Ticket-for-cash allegations name Venugopal, Priyanka Gandhi, Kodikunnil Suresh

New Delhi: A former Congress office-bearer’s husband held a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram last week, alleging that senior party leaders took money from him to give his wife a party ticket to contest the 2024 Assembly elections in Haryana.

Gaurav Kumar, husband of a general secretary in the Haryana Mahila Congress, claimed that he paid crores of rupees to party leaders KC Venugopal, Kodikunnil Suresh, and even Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for the party ticket from Bawal (reserved for Scheduled Castes) Assembly constituency in Haryana for the 2024 polls.

However, the seat was allotted to Dr Muni Lal Ranga, who was convincingly defeated by BJP’s Dr Krishan Kumar.

Gaurav Kumar further alleged that when he asked the leaders to return his money, they refused. He presented documents to claim that the payments were made to the Congress leaders.

He alleged that while Kodikunnil Suresh took Rs 1.60 crore, money was also paid to the personal assistants of Priyanka Gandhi and KC Venugopal.

Gaurav Kumar claimed that he spent a huge amount of money on his wife’s campaign as the leaders had guaranteed the party ticket for her.

“Even one-and-a-half years after the Assembly elections, the Congress leaders have not returned my money,” he told reporters. Gaurav Kumar said he held the press conference in Kerala as the top leaders he named are from the state, and Priyanka Gandhi is a Lok Sabha MP from Wayanad. He also pointed to the Kerala Assembly elections, which are expected in April-May this year.

Gaurav Kumar claimed that before coming to Kerala, he called KC Venugopal’s personal assistant, Anas, over 40 times and was promised some organisational position.

Gaurav Kumar said he was not after any party post as he had already lost Rs 7 crore in the entire process. He also claimed that he and his family have been active Congress workers for over 56 years. He said he has also approached the Kerala Director General of Police (DGP) in the matter.