Punjab assembly elections: 41% candidates are crorepatis, shows ADR report

Punjab assembly elections 2022: Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal and Aam Aadmi Party’s Kulwant Singh are the two richest candidates.

In Punjab, 41 percent (521) of the candidates contesting the 2022 assembly election are crorepatis, according to a report from the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). The association and Punjab Election Watch have analysed the affidavits of 1,276 candidates.

As many as 226 assembly election candidates (18 percent) have assets worth Rs 5 crore and above, according to the report. The assets of 176 candidates (14 percent) are valued between Rs 2 crore and Rs 5 crore. The wealth of 244 candidates (19 percent) is between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 2 crore.

The average assets per candidate in the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections is Rs 4.31 crore, according to the ADR report. In the previous assembly elections in 2017, this figure was Rs 3.49 crore.

The richest candidate in the Punjab polls is Aam Aadmi Party’s Kulwant Singh. The realtor from Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar has declared assets worth over Rs 230 crore, according to the ADR report.

The second-richest candidate is Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal, whose assets are worth Rs 202 crore, according to ADR. Congress leader Karan Kaur Brar has declared assets worth over Rs 155 crore, the report said.

Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi is also among the crorepati candidates. He has declared assets worth over Rs 9 crore in his election affidavit. Channi is the Congress’ chief ministerial candidate for the 2022 elections.

Punjab Assembly elections will take place in a single phase on February 20. The counting of votes will take place on March 10, along with Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Manipur and Uttarakhand.

In Punjab, the ruling Congress will face the Opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which has chosen Bhagwant Mann as its chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming elections.