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Assets owned by the high-profile BJD candidate for Kendrapara Lok Sabha seat in Odisha, Baijayant Panda have doubled in value during the past five years.
The affidavit submitted by the suave chopper-hopping MP to the returning officer here said assets worth Rs 16 crore were owned by him during the 2009 general election and have now shot up to Rs 31 crore.
The notable point in the affidavit is that Panda's investments in bonds and shares, besides debentures and units in 22 companies and mutual funds have gone up by more than the double since 2009 and are now valued at Rs 16.96 crore compared to Rs 5.99 crore five years ago.
Investments of his wife Jagi Mangat in shares and bonds have gone up from Rs 1.04 crore in 2009 to Rs 2.77 crore in 2014.
Panda owns Rs 20.17 crore movable asset, while his spouse Rs 4.34 crore. The couple owns immovable assets of Rs 6.72 crore.
Value of jewellery owned by the couple has also made a jump in the past five years. The couple now owns Rs 12.66 lakh worth jewellery, while it was Rs 9.11 lakh in 2009 year. In the list of jewellery provided by them are a diamond ring, a pair of diamond earrings, a diamond top besides gold and silver ornaments.
Panda owns 2.5 acre agriculture land in Hauz Khas village in New Delhi the current market price of which is Rs 2 crore. He also owns a residential in Bhubaneswar worth Rs 3.88 crore and a Toyota car of Rs 10.74 lakh.
His Congress opponent Dharanidhar Nayak, an eminent lawyer is also a crorepati.
Nayak, who is making his electoral debut from the prestigious seat, in his affidavit said he does not own a four wheeler but owns a plot of land at South Extension -II in New Delhi and his movable and immovable assets are worth Rs 3.5 crore.
BJP and Aam Admi Party have fielded Bishnu Das and Md Samim Akhtar from the seat, a known anti-Congress bastion. Congress had tasted success in the seat as far back as in 1952 in the first general election.
Pramod Sahu, a cooperative activist, is also trying his luck from the seat this time.
