MLC Polls: Congress candidate cries, regrets entry into politics

Congress’ Legislative Council election candidate Yusuf Sharif broke down along with his wife and daughter at a news conference Wednesday where he was clarifying allegations that he was an abusive father.

“I regret entering politics. I have enough wealth to feed ten generations. I made a mistake (entering politics),” Sharif said, crying, before walking out of the news conference.

Sharif, the Congress’ candidate for the Bangalore Urban local authorities seat, was responding to Cooperation Minister ST Somashekhar. The minister had said that Sharif faced many cases, including one filed by his wife accusing him of molesting his own daughter.

Sharif, arguably Karnataka’s richest politician having declared assets worth Rs 1,744 crore, said it was one Naveed who wreaked havoc in his family.

“Naveed was a friend who bought property from me worth Rs 300 crore for joint development. But, he ended up cheating me,” Sharif said.

According to Sharif, his first wife Ruksana Taj was in the dark over his second marriage with Shaziya Tarannum.

“No wife will keep quiet if her husband marries a second time,” Sharif said.

“Naveed, with whom I had fought over business matters, went to my first wife and told her about my second marriage. He brainwashed her into teaching me a lesson. She and my daughter were kidnapped and kept away from me for six months. She filed a domestic violence case against me for Rs 1,000 crore. When I met her in the courtroom after a gap of six months, I told her that all my wealth belonged to her and that she meant a lot to me. She realised her mistake and withdrew her case,” he explained.

He broke down while narrating how his daughter Ume Umra Sharif was “brainwashed” into filing a complaint against him.

“You guys also have families,” Ume Umra said, referring to Somashekhar. “I was forced to sign the papers. I was immature, I wasn’t even 18. This is a 10-year-old case. I was told that whatever I was doing would help bring my parents together. I love my dad and he’s an amazing person,” she said.

BJP files plaint against Sharif

A BJP delegation led by its general secretary N Ravi Kumar filed a complaint with Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Meena on Wednesday accusing Congress’ MLC candidate Yusuf Sharif of violating the model code of conduct.

“It is normal for candidates to extol the achievements of their respective parties. But, Sharif is openly offering inducements to voters,” the BJP said, adding that Sharif has offered Rs 500 crore to people if he wins. "This is a clear violation."