More than a dozen of candidates with assets of over Rs 1 crore are contesting from various Assembly constituencies in Malda, one of the poorer districts of the state.
The statements of assets, furnished in affidavits submitted by candidates during nomination, reveal this surprising fact.
All three major political parties — Trinamul, the BJP and the Congress — have a number of multi-millionaire candidates in Malda while the cumulative value of assets of only one of the three CPM candidates is nearly Rs 1 crore.
BJP’s Shyam Chand Ghosh Telegraph picture
While some candidates own most of the moveable and immoveable assets themselves, others have spouses richer than them.
Matiur Rahaman, the BJP candidate from Harischandrapur, is a Class VIII pass-out. He possesses moveable assets valued at Rs 3.77 crore and immoveable assets worth another Rs 1 crore. His wife has moveable assets worth Rs 23.85 lakh. Rahaman, a businessman, has also said in his affidavit that he purchased an immoveable property of Rs 99.84 lakh and spent another Rs 35 lakh to develop it.
Trinamul’s Ujjwal Choudhury. Telegraph picture
Dipankar Ram, an LPG distributor and BJP’s candidate from Chanchal, has moveable assets worth Rs 1.37 crore and immovable assets of over Rs 4 crore. His wife has assets of over Rs 40 lakh.
Abdur Rahim Boxi, who defected from the Congress to Trinamul, and is contesting from Malatipur, owns assets of over Rs 50 lakh. His wife, an ICDS worker and a businesswoman, has assets worth Rs 3.83 crore.
BJP’s Dipankar Ram. Telegraph picture
Samar Mukherjee, a retired primary schoolteacher and Trinamul candidate from Ratua has assets of Rs 1.25 crore in his name and his wife owns assets worth Rs 84 lakh. Mukherjee won as an MLA four times as a Congress candidate from the same seat.Ujjwal Choudhury, who switched from the BJP to Trinamul and is in fray in Malda. Owner of a fuel station, he has properties worth over Rs 7 crore.
Congress's Gopal Chandra Saha. Telegraph picture
“Many areas of Malda are backward where most people struggle to arrange two square meals. In such a district, many of those contesting the polls are multi-millionaires. It is a sharp contrast,” said Rishi Ghosh, a social researcher.
Congress's Gour Chandra Mandal. Telegraph picture
A retired schoolteacher in Malda, Radhagobinda Ghosh, said “crorepati” candidates are bound to make some voters uncomfortable. “Some voters will surely wonder if wealthy candidates can really relate to the needs of the common man,” said Ghosh.
Congress's Isha Khan Choudhury Telegraph picture
Among others on the list are Gopal Chandra Saha, the BJP candidate of Malda; Krishnendu Choudhury, the Trinamul candidate from Englishbazar; Sabina Yeasmin and Shyam Chand Ghosh, the Trinamul and BJP candidates of Mothabari; Gour Chandra Mandal, the BJP candidate of Manikchak; Mottakin Alam, the Congress candidate of the same constituency; Isha Khan Choudhury, the Congress candidate of Sujapur; and Payel Khatun, an Independent from Ratua.
Trinamul’s Justice Abdul Ghani. Telegraph picture
Trinamul’s Krishnendu Choudhury Telegraph picture
Trinamul’s Abdur Rahim Boxi. Telegraph picture
Some of the candidates came up with their own clarifications.
BJP’s Ram claimed he inherited most of his assets.
Trinamul’s Mukherjee claimed his assets were both inherited and purchased by taking loans. His party colleague Choudhury said that he came from a family of erstwhile affluent landlords.
