Arunachal polls: 131 crorepati nominees, CM Khandu richest

Itanagar: Arunachal Chief Minister Pema Khandu, who is seeking a re-election from Mukto Assembly seat for the third consecutive term, is the richest among 184 candidates contesting the state polls, with assets worth more than Rs 163 crore, according to an election watchdog report.

Polling for simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections will be held in the state on April 11. A thorough analysis of the affidavits submitted before the election office found that 131 of 184 Assembly poll candidates are crorepatis, the report by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) said.

As many as 67 candidates (36 per cent) have wealth above Rs 5 crore, while 44 candidates (24 per cent) possess assets to the tune of Rs 2-5 crore, it said.

Khandu, who defected to the BJP from the Congress in 2016, has movable assets worth Rs 1,43,87,82,786 and immovable assets worth Rs 19,62,75,356, as declared in his affidavit. Lombo Tayeng, the Congress candidate from Mebo constituency, is the second-richest candidate in the state with wealth of more than 148 crore - movable assets of Rs 1,13,52,21,594 and immovable assets of Rs 35,01,84,400.

Another BJP candidate Tsering Tashi, who is contesting the polls from Tawang Assembly constituency, ranks third on the list with assets worth over 109 crore - movable assets of Rs 97,10,97,522 and immovable assets of Rs 12,32,96,250.

The average assets of the candidates contesting the Assembly polls were recorded at Rs 9.86 crore, the election watchdog report stated.

In the 2014 assembly elections, of the 148 candidates in the fray, 88 (60 per cent) were crorepatis.