By: Vijay Kumar Verma ( Editor-ICN Group )
SHIMLA: In terms of the affidavits filed by the 338 contestants before the state elections commission for the ensuing assembly elections, 47 percent have declared movable and immovable assets worth more than Rs one crore.
Among the highest assets category are Balbir Verma from Chaupal with declaration of Rs.90 crore, followed by Vikramaditya Singh, son of Virbhadra Singh, the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, with assets of Rs.84 crore. He is contesting the election from Shimla Rural constituency.
In the third place is Rajesh Sharma, an independent candidate from Kangra who has declared assets worth Rs.74 crore while another independent Dev Bhardwaj contesting from Kasumpti has assets worth Rs.65 crore and the congress nominee from Nagrota has declared assets of Rs.44 crore.
On the contrary High profile chief ministerial candidate who has lead the government for a record six times and whose DA case is already in the Court for long as declared assets worth only Rs.30 crore.
As per an analysis the assets of 60 of the 68 MLAs has shown marked improvement as compared to the last elections in 2012.
For example the assets of Balbir Singh, who tops the category, have increase more than two folds, from Rs.41 crore to Rs. 90 crore.
Going by the analysis it is said that the old slogan of “Sabka saath, Sabka Vikas” proves to be contrary. The number of crorepati candidates from congress is 87% , in BJP 69% and 32 % in CPM.
