Crorepatis and Contrasts: Wealth Disparity Among Candidates in Jharkhand’s Phase 2 Assembly Elections

The Jharkhand Assembly elections, taking place in two phases, have drawn significant attention due to the stark financial disparities among candidates. Phase 1 of the elections took place on November 13, with Phase 2 scheduled for November 20. Following both phases, votes will be counted on November 23, alongside Maharashtra’s election results, to determine the future composition of Jharkhand’s 81-seat legislative body. The current Assembly’s term is set to conclude on January 5, 2025.

Top of the Wealth Chart: Samajwadi Party’s Aquil Akhtar

The wealthiest candidate in the second phase is Aquil Akhtar, representing the Samajwadi Party (SP) in the Pakur constituency. According to a report by the Alternative Dispute Redressal (ADR), Akhtar’s declared assets surpass ₹400 crore, making him the richest contender in Phase 2. His disclosed assets include movable wealth of close to ₹1 crore (₹99,51,816) and extensive immovable assets valued at over ₹400 crore (₹4,02,00,00,000).

Other Wealthy Contenders in Phase 2

Following Akhtar, the second-highest declared assets belong to independent candidate Niranjan Rai, contesting from the Dhanwar constituency, who reported assets totaling over ₹137 crore. Close behind, Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) candidate Mihammad Danish, also running in Dhanwar, disclosed assets worth over ₹32 crore. Additionally, Niranjan Rai holds the distinction of the highest declared income in the Phase 2 race, reporting an income of ₹15 crore in his income tax return (ITR), sourced primarily from business ventures.

The Least Wealthy Candidates: Stark Financial Contrasts

In contrast to the high-asset candidates, some contestants in Phase 2 have declared minimal to zero assets. Elian Hansdak from the Jharkhand Peoples Party, running in the Maheshpur (ST) constituency, reported having no assets. Another candidate made a modest declaration of just ₹100, underscoring the wide economic range among the candidates competing for the 81 Assembly seats.

Crorepatis Dominate the Candidate Pool

The ADR report highlights that 24 percent, or 127 of the 522 candidates in the second phase, are crorepatis. Among major parties, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leads with 32 crorepati candidates, followed closely by Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and the Indian National Congress. Notably, crorepatis make up 72 percent of BJP’s candidates, 90 percent of JMM’s, and 83 percent of Congress’s candidates in Phase 2, revealing the prevalence of high-net-worth individuals within the contesting groups.