Bhubaneswar: As many as 20 crorepati candidates are contesting in the last phase of Lok Sabha elections in Odisha. Out of total 66 candidates in the fray, 20 (30%) candidates have assets worth more than Rs 1 crore, said a report of Odisha Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).
The report was prepared on the basis of the self-sworn affidavits of the candidates in six constituencies going to polls on June 1 in the state. All the candidates of BJD (6), Congress (5) and JMM (1) have properties of more than Rs 1 crore, BJP has 4 (67%) crorepati candidates.
The average of assets per candidate in the state have been estimated to be Rs 3.83 crore. The average assets per candidate of BJP is Rs 27,12,63,508, that of BJD is Rs 6,61,41,681 and that of Congress is Rs 2,37,24,343, the report stated.
BJP’s Baijayant Panda lead the list of top three richest candidates with the declared assets (including movable and immovable) of more than 148 crore (Rs 1,48,08,78,708). He is followed by Sriram Pandey of Congress with over Rs.18 crore (Rs 18,23,27,000) and Manjulata Mandal of BJD with over Rs 14 crore (Rs.14,88,63,361).
Panda also tops in self-income as shown in the income tax returns. He has mentioned his income at Rs 21,30,10,253. He is followed by Sriram Pandey, Independent candidate for Kendrapada, with Rs 35,22,870 and BJD’s Rajashree Mallik with Rs 46,49,804.