Image: IANS, PTI
As political campaigning intensifies ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections, an analysis of candidates’ self‑declared assets reveals a striking concentration of wealth among the state’s political class.According to data compiled from election affidavits and published by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), several sitting Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) contesting the polls are among the richest in the country’s politically vibrant eastern state.At the top of the list is Jakir Hossain, the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) MLA from Jangipur in Murshidabad, with total declared assets exceeding Rs 67 crore.
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Hossain’s wealth is primarily in movable assets, valued at nearly Rs 49.3 crore, with an additional Rs 17.9 crore in immovable assets.Following him is Ahmed Javed Khan, also of the AITC, representing Kasba in South 24 Parganas. Khan’s total assets stand at approximately Rs 32.3 crore, bolstered by significant investments and property holdings.Third on the list is AITC’s Vivek Gupta from Jorasanko in Kolkata North, whose total assets are reported at over Rs 31.9 crore. Gupta’s portfolio includes Rs 23.1 crore in movable assets and nearly Rs 8.9 crore in immovable assets.Other wealthy sitting legislators include Manoj Tiwary (Shibpur, AITC) and Bayron Biswas (Sagardighi, AITC), with declared assets of about Rs 20.3 crore and Rs 20.1 crore respectively. Both have substantial property holdings along with cash and investments.In Kalimpong, Ruden Sada Lepcha of the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha declared assets totaling over Rs 18.2 crore, placing him among the top ten richest candidates.The remaining entries in the top ten are:Pradip Mazumdar (AITC, Durgapur Purba) — Rs 18.1 croreNandita Chowdhury (AITC, Howrah Dakshin) — Rs 15.7 croreDr. Asok Kumar Chattopadhyay (AITC, Hansan) — Rs 14.7 croreDulal Chandra Das (AITC, Maheshtala) — Rs 13.7 croreThe data highlights the deep pockets of many contesting legislators, particularly from the ruling Trinamool Congress, and raises questions about the growing role of personal wealth in electoral politics.Most of these candidates have indicated on their affidavits that they possess a Permanent Account Number (PAN), a key identifier for tax compliance in India.West Bengal is gearing up for its Assembly elections, scheduled in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with vote counting for both phases set for May 4.While the electoral battle is primarily between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), several other parties are also in the fray. The Left Front, once a dominant force in the state, is seeking to revive its political presence.The newly formed Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP), launched by former TMC leader Humayun Kabir, has joined hands with Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and announced its candidates for various constituencies.In the lead-up to the elections, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, during a meeting with TMC party workers on Sunday, stated that following a victory in the state, the party’s next focus would be national politics, with Delhi as the next target, according to TMC sources, as cited by ANI.
