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The second phase of the Jharkhand Assembly elections is set to witness a significant number of wealthy candidates vying for power, as revealed by an analysis conducted by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). According to a report released on Thursday, 127 out of the 522 candidates contesting in the second phase, representing 24 percent of the total, are crorepatis, meaning they possess assets exceeding Rs 100 million. This analysis, conducted by the Jharkhand Election Watch and ADR, scrutinized the self-sworn affidavits submitted by 522 out of the 528 candidates contesting in the 38 constituencies set for the second phase of elections, scheduled for November 20th.
Among these wealthy candidates, Aquil Akhtar, a Samajwadi Party candidate contesting from the Pakur constituency, emerges as the wealthiest, declaring assets exceeding Rs 400 crore. His declaration includes movable assets worth Rs 99.51 lakh and immovable assets worth a staggering Rs 402 crore. Following Akhtar in terms of declared wealth is Niranjan Rai, an independent candidate from Dhanwar, with assets worth around Rs 137 crore. Another noteworthy candidate is Mohammad Danish from the Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) contesting from Dhanwar, who declared total assets worth approximately Rs 32 crore.
In contrast to these financially well-endowed candidates, Elian Hansdak, a candidate from the Jharkhand People's Party (JPP) contesting in the Maheshpur (ST) constituency, declared zero assets. Rajeshwar Mahto, an independent candidate contesting from Silli, reported assets of Rs 100, while Jitender Oraon, another independent candidate from Khijir, declared assets worth around Rs 2,500. The report also highlights the educational background of the candidates, revealing that 247 (47 percent) declared qualifications between the 5th and 12th standard, 234 (45 percent) are graduates or hold higher degrees, 6 hold diplomas, 34 are merely literate, and only one candidate reported being illiterate.
The report's findings underscore the significant role of money power in elections, as major political parties predominantly field wealthy candidates. The large number of crorepatis contesting in the second phase of the Jharkhand Assembly elections raises concerns regarding the potential influence of wealth on the electoral process and the representation of diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. The analysis by ADR provides valuable insights into the financial landscape of the upcoming elections, highlighting the need for greater transparency and accountability in campaign financing.
Source: 127 Crorepatis in Jharkhand's 2nd Phase, SP's Aquil Akhtar Tops List With Assets Worth Rs 400 Crore