Lagatar24 Desk
Ranchi: As Jharkhand gears up for the first phase of its Assembly elections on Wednesday, an analysis by the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) highlights stark contrasts in the financial backgrounds of candidates. Approximately 1.37 crore voters out of Jharkhand’s 2.60 crore population are eligible to vote in this phase, which will cover 43 assembly constituencies with over 600 candidates vying for seats.
Insights from the Wealth Analysis of Candidates
In a revealing breakdown, 34% of candidates—235 out of 682—are classified as crorepatis. According to ADR’s report, 63 candidates, representing 9.24%, have declared assets exceeding ₹ 5 crore. Meanwhile, 78 candidates (11.44%) have assets between ₹ 2 crore and ₹ 5 crore. About 29.03% (198 candidates) report assets between ₹ 50 lakh and ₹ 2 crore, while 199 candidates (29.18%) have assets ranging from ₹ 10 lakh to ₹ 50 lakh. At the lower end, 144 candidates (21.11%) possess assets valued under ₹ 10 lakh.
The Richest Candidate
Kandomani Bhumij, an independent candidate from the Potka (ST) constituency in East Singhbhum district, has emerged as the wealthiest contender in the first phase. She has declared assets amounting to ₹ 80 crore.
The Poorest Candidate
In stark contrast, Sushil Topno of the Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha, contesting in the Sisai (ST) constituency in Gumla district, is the candidate with the lowest declared assets. His assets, all in movable form, total a mere ₹ 7,000, with no immovable property.
Party-Wise Distribution of Wealthy Candidates
Among the major parties, the BJP has the highest number of crorepati candidates, with 83% (30 out of 36) declaring assets over ₹ 1 crore. The ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) follows closely, with 78% (18 out of 23) of its candidates being crorepatis. The Congress has 94% (16 out of 17) of its candidates in the crorepati bracket.
Other parties with crorepati candidates include the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) with seven, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) with four, and the Janata Dal (United) [JD(U)] with two candidates declaring assets above ₹ 1 crore.
Upcoming Poll Schedule
The second phase of the Jharkhand Assembly elections, covering the remaining 38 seats, will be held on November 20. The counting of votes for all phases is set for November 23, marking a decisive day for the state’s political landscape.
