Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son and deputy Sukhbir Badal do not own a car, instead they own three tractors. Sukhbir Badal is among the top five wealthiest candidates in fray for the upcoming Assembly polls in Punjab with a declared total asset of Rs 102 crore.
The Punjab Assembly elections have shown just how many politicians have a fondness for tractors and luxury cars. Some, like Congress candidate Navjot Singh Sidhu, appear to have an uncanny liking for high-end watches. His poll affidavit, filed on Wednesday, says Sidhu has watches worth a whopping Rs 44 lakh. He and his wife have a fancy for luxury cars, too. The couple own half a dozen luxury cars, including Sidhu’s high-end Mini Cooper, valued at Rs 26 lakh, and two Land Cruisers.
Congress candidate Manpreet Singh Badal from Bathinda Urban owns a fleet of 9 vehicles, including luxury SUVs, two tractors, three jeeps and a jonga. Even as the assets of Parkash Singh Badal have nearly doubled in the last five years, he prefers not to own a car. He owns a Tafe tractor. His son Sukhbir does not own a car either, but has two tractors, a Massy and a New Holland.
Owning a tractor is considered a status symbol and a style statement in Punjab. There are roughly 10 lakh farming families in Punjab and nearly 5.5 lakh tractors, which makes a tractor in every second household in the state.
Punjab accounts for just 1.6% of the total agricultural land in the country but its farmers own nearly 18% of all the tractors sold in India.
Liquor baron Shiv Lal Doda, who is contesting as an independent candidate and is lodged in jail in connection with the murder of a Dalit youth, has declared he has a BMW, a Mercedes Benz and other vehicles worth Rs 1.7 crore. Sukhpal Singh Khera of the AAP has a fleet of four vehicles, including a Freelander priced at Rs 37 lakh. Capt Amarinder Singh has two cars including an SUV.