Of the 265 contestants contesting the Odisha Assembly Elections 2024 Phase II in 35 Assembly constituencies, at least 95 (36 per cent) are crorepati with the average assets of the candidates estimated at Rs. 3.98 crore.
The value of the wealth of 23 candidates (9 wealth of candidates) is Rs 5 crore or above, according to Odisha Election Watch (OEW) and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) report analysed the self-sworn affidavits.
The role of money power in the elections is evident from the fact that all major political parties gave tickets to wealthy candidates. Among the major parties 30 (86 per cent) out of 35 candidates analysed from BJD, 24 (69 per cent) out of 35 candidates analysed from BJP, 24(73 per cent) out of 33 candidates analysed from Indian National Congress and three (30 per cent) out of 10 candidates analysed from AAP have declared assets valued at more than Rs 1 crore, the ADR-OEW report said.
Among the major parties, the average assets per candidate for 35 BJD candidates analysed is Rs. 12.09 crore, 33 INC candidates analysed is Rs 2.95 crore, 35 BJP candidates have average assets of Rs 13.11 crore and 10 AAP candidates have average assets worth Rs. 95.89 lakh, the report added.
BJP’s Dilip Kumar Ray, contesting Rourkela Assembly, is the richest of all with declared assets to the tune of Rs 313 crore followed by Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, BJD candidate for Bolangir Assembly seat with assets worth Rs 73 crore. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik with Rs 71 crore declared assets stands third among the wealthy candidates.
On the other hand, an independent candidate, Sohan Sipka, contesting from Kantabanji Constituency, from where CM Patnaik is fighting the Assembly polls, has declared zero assets.
The candidates, who have declared liabilities in their poll affidavits, are Dipali Das and Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, both BJD candidates fighting polls from Jharsuguda and Bolangir seats with declared liabilities of Rs 19 crore and Rs 8 crore respectively.