Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday announced that he would donate Rs 50,000 to help activist Irom Sharmila's election campaign in Manipur that is all set to go to polls soon.
Kejriwal urged the public to help Sharmila and her party, People's Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRAJA) in her election campaign through donations.
I am donating Rs 50,000 as my small contribution to her and appeal to everyone to support her. https://t.co/9uEXT1uMn6
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 18, 2017
Bhagwant Mann, Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party's MP from Punjab, also followed suit and announced that he would donate money to further Sharmila's campaign. "As a member of parliament I am donating my one month salary to Irom Sharmila who is fighting against a corrupt system and injustice in Manipur," Mann wrote on Twitter.
Sharmila had been on a hunger strike for 16 years demanding that AFSPA be repealed in Manipur. She brought an end to her strike in 2016 and decided to contest the Manipur Assembly elections in 2017. She had also met Kejriwal to seek advice on how to defeat political parties and said that she would need the Delhi chief minister's help to achieve the same.
"We want Kejriwal to campaign for us. We would not only require his moral support, but also help of his volunteers to win the elections," Sharmila had said.
Sharmila had recently alleged that the BJP offered her Rs 36 crore to contest on a party ticket. She said that a representative from the BJP approached her offering crores of rupees to fight against incumbent chief minister, according to NDTV. She, however, refused the offer saying that her "principles can never be compromised due to money."
"Shortly after I announced that I will enter electoral politics, a BJP leader paid a visit to my hospital ward. He said the central leadership of the BJP will give me money. He said he has already spoken to BJP president Amit Shah," Sharmila told the media.
