I am winning, that's why smear campaign has started against me: Anil Antony

Thiruvananthapuram, April 10 BJP's Pathanamthitta candidate for the Lok Sabha elections on Wednesday dismissed allegations levelled by "broker" T G Nandkumar that he had accepted Rs 25 lakh bribe from him, and said that "a smear campaign is being run by Congress leader P. J. Kurien".

"It's now clear that I am winning and worried of that, a smear campaign has started against me and it's led by Kurien who is known to have backstabbed Karunakaran, Antony and Oommen Chandy," said Anil.

Nandakumar, reported to have high political connections, alleged that Anil during the UPA government's tenure had taken Rs 25 lakh for a posting of a standing counsel, but the posting failed to happen.

To recover the money, Nandakumar said he approached the then-top Congress veteran Kurien, a former deputy chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, but his intervention did not help and it was only after he brought this to the attention of late Congress legislator P. T. Thomas, that he was able to get the money back.

On Wednesday, Kurien told mediapersons that he remembers this case and Nandakumar meeting him.

"I remember intervening in this, but now I don't remember whether I spoke to Antony or Anil. I had said if money was collected, then it should be given back," said Kurien.

Training his guns on Kurien, Anil said that he met Nandakumar after Kurien asked him to do so.

"I am Stanford-educated, worked in the IT area and I don't need to indulge in such activities. It was Kurien who asked me to meet Nandakumar. Nandakumar came to me seeking help from me, to which I said I am unable to do. He met me a few times later also. Nandakumar is a person who has several criminal cases registered against him," said Anil.

"We all know of a case that Kurien was involved some years back and it was Nandakumar who helped him wriggle out of that case. Kurien is a person who has backstabbed, Karunakaran, Antony and Oommen Chandy. Kurien was also behind the press meet of Antony yesterday," added Anil.

Hitting out at his Congress opponent Anto Antony, Anil said that things are now very clear that he is winning, and to thwart that, all baseless things are being said.

"Anto and his family have siphoned off crores of rupees from four financial institutions here and today the ED is looking into this," added Anil.

Anil is pitted against Anto and two-time former State Finance Minister and CPI(M) veteran Thomas Isaac.

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