93 crorepatis in 19 seats of wretched eastern Uttar Pradesh

LUCKNOW: In 18 seats of UP's impoverished eastern part which go to polls in the last phase on May 12, there are 93 crorepati candidates, which comes out to be five crorepatis in every constituency. In comparison, as per UP planning commission, the average per capita income of the districts in the region is meagre Rs 9,228 per annum and average net district domestic product is Rs 71,580, among lowest in the state and the country.

There are total 328 candidates in the fray, of which the Association of Democratic Reforms ( ADR) analyzed affidavits on assets of 325 candidates. The affidavits were filed at the time of nominations of the elections. The report reveals that 93 candidates have assets in crores. In fact, there are 30 candidates with assets between Rs 1-2 crore, 33 with assets between Rs 2-5 crore, 12 between Rs 5-10 crore, six between Rs 10-15 crore and 11 above Rs 15 crore.

The above Rs 15 crore club includes SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav (Rs 15.96 crore), Peace Party president Dr Mohammad Ayub (Rs 31.28 crore) and Quami Ekta Dal (QED) supremo mafia-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari (Rs 18.62 crore). Although AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal and BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, who are contesting from Varanasi, are also among crorepatis, their total assets are much below than other party chiefs. While Kejriwal and his wife own assets worth around Rs 2 crore, Modi own Rs 1.65 crore assets excluding wife.

Among parties, BSP, which claims itself to be representative of Dalits, has fielded 17 crorepatis followed by SP, party of backward classes, 14. The BJP has given tickets to nine crorepatis, Congress eight and AAP five, QED and Peace Party two each. Among top 10 crorepatis, there are six BSP candidates with Shah Alam alias Guddu Jamali, contesting from Azamgarh, at number one position with Rs 70,29 crore assets. Mukhtar's brother Afzal contesting from Ghazipur is also a crorepati.

Two candidates have declared their annual income of over Rs one crore. While Dr Shameem Abidi of Peace Party contesting from Ghosi has declared Rs 4.30 crore income in 2012-13, Niyaz Ahmad of BSP, contesting from Deoria, earned Rs 2.80 crore in 2013-14. Ahmad is a businessman and educated till class 12th. The annual income of Dr Abidi, who is a medical practitioner, is Rs 2 crore, whereas his wife, who owns a medical store, earned Rs 2.23 crore.

Candidates 325

Crorepatis 93 (29%)

Top 10

1: Shah Alam Alias Guddu Jamali (BSP), Azamgarh, Rs 70,29 crore

2: Sangam Mishra (BSP) Kushinagar Rs 46.54 crore

3: Subhash Pandey (BSP) Jaunpur Rs 37.85 crore

4: Kashinath (BSP) Maharajganj Rs 33.75 crore

5: Dr Mohammad Ayub (Peace Party) Domariyaganj Rs 31.48 crore

6: Kailash Nath Singh Yadav (BSP) Ghazipur Rs 24.93 crore

7: BP Saroj (BSP) Machhlishahr Rs 21.05 crore

8: Pankaj (BJP) Maharajganj Rs 19.18 crore

9: Mukhtar Ansari (Qaumi Ekta Dal) Ghosi Rs 18.62 crore

10: Rajeev Kumar Rai (SP) Ghosi Rs 16.55 crore

Candidates with high annual income

Dr Shameem Abidi (Peace Party), Ghosi, Rs 4.30 crore (self+spouse), self Rs 2 crore.

Niyaj Ahmad (BSP), Deoria, Es 2.80 crore (self+spouse), self Rs 1.87 crore

Per Capita Income of the region Rs 9288

Net District Domestic Product: Rs 71,580

Libalities

Top 5

Subhash Pandey (BSP), Jaunpur, Rs 37,85 crore

Mukhtar Ansari (QED), Ghosi, Rs 8.01crore

Kashinath, (BSP) Maharajganj, Rs 7.42 crore

Sanjeev Singh (Suheldev BSP), Chandauli Rs 4.15 crore

Harshvardhan (Congress), Maharajganj, Rs 3.59 core