Sabu M. Jacob, the chief coordinator of Twenty20, the political outfit of the garment maker Kitex Group, has defended the Rs 25-crore donation given to Bharat Rashtra Samithi in Telangana through electoral bonds, saying it was “a gift for the support extended to him in a crisis period”.

Addressing a Vote ‘n’ Talk programme organised by the Ernakulam Press Club, Sabu Jacob said the donation to BRS was voluntary and he had extended similar contributions to all political parties, including Rs 30 lakh to the CPI (M). “I am still ready to give donations to any political party if they seek”, he said and sought to differentiate between his identity as an industrialist and a politician.

The Telangana government, according to him, had invited him to set up a unit in that State, offering him all the facilities. “What is wrong in making such a donation voluntarily from my hard-earned money. I challenge anyone to prove that I was given special privileges after offering donation,” he said.

The decision to migrate from Kerala was taken after facing several embarrassments from the authorities, despite being among the biggest job providers in the State in the private sector, he added.

Asked about the chances of Twenty20 candidates in the elections, he said the party’s candidates in Ernakulam and Chalakkudy are expected to win or even get a very high vote share.

Declining to comment on the corruption allegations against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, he said the decision to part ways with AAP has been proved right in the wake of the latest developments. Kejriwal always maintained a clandestine understanding with the Left, he said.

Twenty20 and AAP was in alliance for a brief while before the former called it off last year.

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