In Gujarat, BJP's Richest Candidate Has Assets Worth Rs 147 Crore

Bharatiya Janata Party's Jamnagar Lok Sabha candidate Poonam Maadam is the richest in the poll fray in Gujarat with assets of Rs 147 crore, as per the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).

At the other end of the list is Bahujan Samaj Party's Rekha Chaudhari, contesting from Bardoli (Scheduled Tribe) seat, who has declared assets of just Rs 2,000.

Of the 266 candidates fighting on 26 Lok Sabha seats in the state, 'crorepatis' ( a crore is Rs 10 million) stand at 68, or 26 per cent of the total, the ADR said on Monday.

Mukesh Dalal, the BJP candidate who won unopposed from Surat, has assets of more than Rs 17 crore, said ADR, an apolitical and non profit organisation working on electoral and political reforms.

Maadam, who is seeking re-election from the seat, has seen her declared assets rise from Rs 42.7 crore in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections to Rs 147 crore in 2024, comprising movable assets of Rs 60 crore and immovable properties of Rs 87 crore. These include assets of her own, her spouse and those of Hindu Undivided Family (HUF).

Among the Union ministers contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Gujarat, Parshottam Rupala has declared assets of more than Rs 17 crore, of which Rs 11.5 crore is movable and Rs 5.9 crore immovable, as per ADR.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has declared total assets of more than Rs 7 crore, including Rs 3 crore movable and Rs 4.95 crore immovable ones.

Gujarat BJP president CR Paatil, who is seeking re-election from Navsari, has declared assets of over Rs 39 crore.

Among Congress candidates, Bharat Makwana from Ahmedabad (West), a seat reserved for Scheduled Castes, is the richest with assets of over Rs 25 crore.

The BJP leads with 24 'crorepati' candidates, followed by 21 from the Congress, and four belonging to the Bahujan Samaj Party.

"The average assets of BJP candidates stands at over Rs 15 crore, while the figure is Rs 6 crore for the Congress. Of the 15 richest candidates in Gujarat, eight are from BJP and seven from Congress," said.

As per details shared by ADR, 19 out of 266 candidates are women. Out of 266 candidates, 16 are in the age group of 25-30, while 61 are in the 31-40 segment, 88 between 41-50 years, 60 in the 51-60 bracket, 35 are between 61 and 70, and six are above 70.

"Five out of 266 candidates have doctorates, seven are illiterates, 14 are literates, 32 graduates, 24 graduate professionals, 18 postgraduates and 14 diploma holders," as per ADR.

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