Arunachal polls: CM Khandu is the richest candidate

With assets worth over Rs 163 crore Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu is the richest among 184 candidates contesting in the 60-member Assembly elections slated for April 11.

An analysis of the affidavits submitted by the contesting candidates by the Association for Democratic Reforms and Arunachal Election Watch found that 131 (71%) candidates are crorepatis. The average assets of the candidates were found to be Rs 9.86 crore.

Khandu, son of former chief minister late Dorjee Khandu, who is contesting from Mukto Assembly constituency possess movable assets worth Rs 1, 43, 87, 82, 786 and immovable assets of Rs 19, 62, 75, 356. Khanu is followed by Lombo Tayeng of Congress (East Siang) with assets worth over Rs 148 crores and BJP’s Tsering Tashi (Tawang) with assets of over Rs 109 crores.

Khandu was declared winner uncontested twice in 2011 and 2014.

Sixty-seven candidates (36%) possess assets worth over Rs 5 crore and above, said the report. In 2014, 60% crorepati candidates had contested the Assembly elections.

The ruling BJP leads the tally of crorepati candidates with 90% or 67 of the 60 contesting candidates possessing assets worth Rs 1 crore or more. The Opposition Congress has fielded 46 candidates, of which 30 or 65% are crorepatis, followed by 21 of the 30 candidates belonging to National People’s Party and seven out of the 12 JD (S) candidates. Takam Paleng of JD (S), contesting in the Lekang constituency possess asset of only Rs 5,000, said the report.

On the educational qualification front, the ADR found that 106 (58%) had declared to be graduates or above while 68 (37%) are between class V and XII.

Of the 184 candidates, 71% are aged between 41 to 60 years while 19% are between 25 to 40 years. Only eleven (6%) are women candidates, which was 3% in 2014.

Among the contesting candidates, 14% have declared serious criminal charges.