In a bombshell allegation, businessman La Nyalla Mattalitti claimed on Thursday that Gerindra Party chief patron Prabowo Subianto asked him to pay Rp 40 billion (US$2.8 million) in return for the party’s endorsement for his gubernatorial bid in East Java.

The East Java Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) chairman said he refused to pay and lost his chance to contest the election.

“I was asked to pay Rp 40 billion. The money was supposed to be delivered by Dec. 20, if I wanted to get a recommendation,” he said as quoted by Tempo on Thursday.

A day earlier, when the General Elections Commission (KPU) closed registrations for regional election contenders, Gerindra announced it was supporting the Saifullah “Gus Ipul” Yusuf-Puti Guntur Soekarno pair in the East Java gubernatorial race.

The party has strongly denied La Nyalla’s claim, saying it ...