The average percentage increase in the assets of 94 Punjab MLAs who are contesting the February 4 election was 28 per cent while assets of Navjot Singh Sidhu has risen to Rs 45.90 crore from 14.50 crore, said a report prepared by Punjab Election Watch (PEW)- a civil watchdog for improving electoral processes.
Average percentage increase in assets for 94 sitting MLAs who are contesting the polls this year was 28 per cent while average assets in absolute terms was Rs 13.79 crore from 2012 till 2017, said PEW state-coordinator Jaskirat Singh at the release of a report of the analysis of assets comparison of 94 legislators
PEW, is an affiliate of the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) said comparison of the MLAs assets was made after analyzing the declarations made by these candidates during 2012 and 2017 polls.
In the case of Sidhu, the Congress candidate from Amritsar East his assets increased to Rs 45.90 crore up from Rs 14.50 crore declared during 2009 Lok Sabha polls.
Assets of AAP MP Bhagwant Mann who is pitted against Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal from Jalalabad has rather dropped to Rs 1.99 crore from Rs 4.30 crore declared in 2014 Lok Sabha polls, he said.
Giving party wise details, Jaskirat said the average increase in assets of nominees of SAD, Congress and BJP was Rs 1.67 crore (17.26 per cent), Rs 4.96 crore (35.64 per cent) and Rs 1.20 lakh (0.44 per cent) respectively.
The PEW state-coordinator said among top five candidates who have seen highest jump in assets, four are from Congress and one is SAD nominee.
Congress candidate Rana Gurjit Singh has seen highest rise of Rs 101.41 crore (148 per cent) in assets growth during 2017 as compared to assets declared during 2012 polls.
Singh, who is contesting from Kapurthala, has declared total assets to the tune of Rs 169.89 crore in his declarations, he said.
On second number is Congress nominee Sundar Sham Arora from Hoshiarpur seat whose assets jumped by Rs 22.83 crore (105 per cent) to Rs 44.60 crore during 2017 polls.
From Fazilka, Sunil Jakhar, another Congress candidate, has seen rise of Rs 17.21 crore (252 per cent) in assets size. Jakhar, former CLP leader has declared his assets size of Rs 24.05 crore in his affidavit filed for contesting 2017 polls, said Jaskirat.
On fourth number is SAD candidate and cabinet minister Bikram Singh Majithia whose assets grew to Rs 25.22 crore from Rs 11.21 crore declared in 2012. The jump in assets size of Majitha candidate was 125 per cent, said Jaskirat.
Congress candidate from Ludhiana central seat Surinder Dawar was at fifth spot with assets size of Rs 28.66 crore, up from Rs 16.72 crore declared in 2012.
BJP candidate from Bhoa in Pathankot Seema Kumari's assets shot up by 2783 per cent to Rs 81.01 lakh. She had declared Rs 2.81 lakh as assets during 2012 polls.
It is not that all the contestants saw rise in their assets. There were 19 candidates whose assets declined in last five years between 2 per cent and 92 per cent. Prominent among them were Congress candidates Raj Kumar Verka, Tript Rajinder Singh, Brahm Mohindra, Karan Kaur, SAD candidates Surjit Singh, Iqbal Singh, said Jaskirat.
