All in the family: Son in fray, ‘official’ BJP candidate says ‘he is canvassing for me’

“Anurag is my youngest son and he has filed nomination as an Independent candidate. But he is not campaigning against me. He is looking after the entire election management for me only. He is supporting me,” Rajpal told The Indian Express. He also said that Anurag has got permission from the administration to run vehicles during canvassing for the bypoll scheduled for September 13.

Anurag could not be reached for comments as the contact number provided on his affidavit, submitted to Election Commission with nomination papers, was “not existing” when dialled.

Rajpal, who is contesting his first election, denied that Anurag was his “dummy” candidate. Rajpal is founder manager of Lakshya Group of Colleges in Bijnor while Anurag, 30, is the director of the group.  Thakurdawara Assembly seat fell vacant after BJP’s Kunwar Sarvesh Singh was elected to Lok Sabha from Moradabad.

Moradabad District Election Officer Deepak Agrawal said he will inquire into the matter and if it was proved that Anurag was a dummy candidate, all the expenses he has made so far in the canvassing will be included in the expenditure of the candidate for whom he is working as “dummy”.

The BJP said it would look into the matter.