: Balwa has been a long time friend of BJP : New Delhi: NRI businessman Anshuman Mishra, who withdrew from the Rajya Sabha race from Jharkhand at the last moment, exclusively reveals to STAR News that the senior BJP leader Dr Murli Manohar Joshi met key 2G spectrum case accused Vinod Goenka and Shahid Balwa in his presence. In an exclusive interview to STAR News’ programme Shakshaat, Anshuman Mishra said that Joshi had friendly relations with 2G accused Shahid Balwa and Vinod Goenka. “I went to Joshi’s home one day and there came Vinod Goenka who was involved in the 2G scam. After some time Shahid Balwa also came. They both met Dr Joshi. I do not deny that they were my friends as well," said Mishra.
Significant revelations during the interview:
• Dr Murali Manohar Joshi – Met 2G accused Vinod Goenka and Shahid Balwa. (Dr Joshi is the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament which examined the landmark CAG report on 2G losses).
• Arun Jaitley – He considers me a threat because like him I am also an accomplished lawyer; like him I know top people in the corporate world of Mumbai and Delhi; so he probably thinks I will get into his area.
• Arun Jaitley – Can Jaitley deny that he spoke to me several times ahead of 2009 elections (seeking help). Why his secretary sent me congratulatory message on my getting Rajya Sabha ticket a few days ago?
• Arun Jaitley – He manipulates the media.
• Sushma Swaraj – Can she deny that she knows Lalit Modi? Can she deny that she went to watch IPL match on his invitation?
• Yashwant Sinha – He came from another party. In 2004 he lost Lok Sabha elections. In 2005 he was sent to Rajya Sabha.
• Shahid Balwa – He is a long time friend of BJP. All top people in BJP know him. He has helped BJP several times in the past.
"All political parties take help during elections. I have also helped BJP with funds from my friends," said Mishra.
“I am a close friend of Shahid Balwa and Vinod Goenka and the friendship is as equal to Arun Jaitley and Piyush Goyal. Can they deny that Balwa and Goenka didn’t stand with the BJP between 2000-12? These two have done good work in Gujarat," claims Mishra.
He also said senior party leader Arun Jaitley looked at him as a threat and that’s the reason he opposed him.
"Jaitley was a friend; we used to meet often till 2011. We had meals together. What has happened now," asked Mishra.
“Can Jaitleyji deny that he did not call me in the United States before the 2009 elections? His secretary sent me a greeting when I became a Rajya Sabha candidate a few days ago. Why did he accept Christmas gifts from me then? Why did he watch a cricket match from my box at the Lords? I will not tolerate these double standards,” said a furious Mishra.
He also said Jaitley was close to former IPL chief Lalit Modi.
“I have met Lalit Modi five times; Arun Jaitley met him 50 times. I have no links in cricket. Susmha Swaraj was invited by Lalit Modi to watch a match," said Mishra.
“They are opposing me because I am a clean person, I am educated and young. They might have not liked me having links with some politicians who weren’t in their good books,” said Mishra.
Mishra, who was supported by a section of the BJP as a Rajya Sabha nominee, dropped out following a directive from the BJP central leadership to its MLAs not to vote for him.
On this revelation, Murli Manohar Joshi said Mishra's allegations were "fabricated" and whatever he was saying with regard to him was absolutely wrong and a "concoction".
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