Mamata's assets grew by 27 per cent, rival's by 1867 per cent

KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee's assets have increased by 27 per cent to Rs 4,73,194 since 2004.

In contrast, that of CPI(M)'s Rabin Deb, contesting against her from the Kolkata South Lok Sabha seat, grew from Rs 74,102 to Rs 14,57,231 in the same period -- an increase of a whopping 18.67 per cent, according to the National Election Watch.

On the other hand, the assets of Trinamool Congress candidate Sudip Bandyopadhyay, contesting from Kolkata North parliamentary constituency, has increased to Rs 41,87,479 -- a growth of 478 per cent.

Bandhopadhyay is fighting against sitting CPI(M) MP Md Salim, whose assets saw an increase of 180 per cent -- from Rs 28,00,367 in 2004 to Rs 78,31,828, the NEW said quoting affidavits filed by them with the Election Commission.

Another CPI(M) MP Tarit Baran Topdar, who has been winning the Barrackpore Lok Sabha seat since 1989, has seen his assets increase from Rs 37,72,015 to Rs 1,24,34,070 -- an increase of 230 per cent since 2004.

"From the figures, it seems that politics is a recession-free business. It beats inflation and the global meltdown. There are many candidates whose assets have seen a massive increase," Trilochan Sastry, Founder member of NEW and Dean of IIM, Bangalore, said.