This Article is From Mar 07, 2012

All but three members of the Goa assembly are millionaires

Panaji: All but three members of the new Goa assembly are millionaires.

Thirty-seven out of 40 successful candidates in the coastal state have declared their assets worth more than Rs one crore, compared to 22 who were elected to the state Assembly in 2007.

According to the affidavits the candidates have submitted to the Election Commission before elections, Pratapsingh Raoji Rane of Congress, who won from the Poriem constituency in North Goa, is now the richest person in the state Assembly.

Mr Rane has declared his total movable and immovable assets worth Rs 25,87,37,748, followed by Congress' Vijai Sardessai from Fatorda constituency, who has declared his assets worth Rs 25,21,14,818.

Atanasio Monserrate from St.Cruz and Jennifer Monserrate from Taleigao (both from Congress) ranked third in the rich list, having assets worth over Rs 23 crore each, according to their affidavits analysed by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Goa Election Watch.

Party wise, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has 18 crorepati MLAs while Congress has nine, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) has three and Goa Vikas Party has two while five crorepatis were Independent candidates.

In the past Assembly, BJP had 14 crorepati members while ruling Congress has 16 millionaire legislators.

Those who do not have assets worth over a crore are all BJP MLAs -- Anant Shet from Maem, Subhash Naik from Cuncolim and Ramesh Tawadkar from Canacona.

12 MLAs have pending cases against them, with GVP's Francisco Xavier Pacheco leading the list with 10 cases. The previous assembly had nine tainted MLAs having criminal cases against them.
.