 "Congress president Sonia Gandhi (L), Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi (R), APCC president Anjan Dutta (2nd R) and Congress candidate from Amguri Assembly constituency Ankita Dutta wave at the crowd at an election rally in Amguri, Assam")
Assam’s per-capita income may be far below the national average, but when it comes to elections, at least 21% of the total 539 candidates, contesting election in the first phase in Assam, are crorepatis. The average asset of all the candidates has been found to be around Rs 1.47 crore.
For Assam, where more than 30% of the population lives below the poverty line, and many bereft of even the basic amenities, this assembly election would be more of a fight between the millionaires and billionaires to jostle for power.
Topping the list is independent candidate Jyoti Subba, contesting from Sootea constituency in Tezpur district. She has a total asset of Rs 288 crore followed by Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) candidate from Naharkatiya constituency, Naren Sonwal, with Rs 33 crore asset and Rahul Roy, contesting from Algapur constituency in Barak Valley. Roy is a Congress candidate and has a total asset of Rs 25 crore, found Assam Election Watch (AEW) and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), two non-governmental organisations, after analysing the affidavits filed by the candidates while seeking nomination for polls.
Jyoti Subba is wife of lottery baron and former Tezpur Lok Sabha MP Mani Kumar Subba. Rahul Roy is son of sitting MLA and minister Gautam Roy.
On the other hand, Jiten Tanti of CPI(ML), contesting from Teok constituency of Jorhat district, has been found to be the poorest candidate with almost nil assets. He is followed by Diganta Phuka, an independent candidate contesting from Mariani constituency and Debangshu Nath, contesting from Patharkandi constituency in Karimganj district under SUCI(C) ticket.
Congress party, which has been in power in the state since 2001, has fielded the maximum number of crorepatis (36) in the fray for the first phase of polls, scheduled on April 4. As per the analysis of AEW and ADR, 55% of the candidates analysed from Congress party are cororepatis. The BJP has 23 cororepatis, followed by 11 from All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), seven from AGP, two from Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF).
