113 crorepatis contesting Meghalaya elections
Shillong, Feb 12 : 113 candidates candidates contesting the February 23 assembly in Meghalaya are "crorepatis" even as 14 candidates have declared assets less than Rs one lakh.
Ngaitlang Dhar, a congress candidate from Umroi constituency, has Rs 235.64 crore assets and is the richest among the candidates, while Charles G R Syngkli of the Nationalist Congress Party from Nongpoh declared his lowest assets worth Rs 2,500.
Outgoing Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma and his wife Dickanchi D Shira, who has also joined the electoral fray for the first time, have declared assets worth over Rs 28 crore.
The analysis based on the affidavits submitted by the candidates and released by the Meghalaya Election Watch (MEW) revealed that seven candidates- one each from UDP, NPP and five Independent- have declared serious criminal cases like extortion, sedition and cheating against them.
The top three candidates who have declared serious criminal cases against them include Marcuise N Marak of National People's Party from Williamnagar who has been charged with sedition, Arun N Marak of UDP from Songsak charged with and Independent candidate Kismet A Sangma from North Tura charged for cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property, the MEW report said.
Of the 111 candidates, who are seeking to re-contesting assembly election again this year, the report revealed the assets of the candidates which have increased in the last five years (2008-2013).
Sitting Congress candidates Sniawbhalang Dhar who is contesting from Nartiang constituency, has increased from Rs 75,074 in 2008 to Rs 2.96 crore in 2013.
Another Congress candidate from Raliang Comingone Ymbon has declared maximum increase in assets with an increase of Rs 24.26 crore from Rs 1.21 crores in 2008.
The assets of Chief Minister Mukul Sangma have risen by Rs 11.07 crore. In 2008 his asset was worth Rs 3.43 crore but now he has assets worth Rs 14.50 crore, the MEW report stated.
Similarly, Uraban Affairs Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh's assets has increase from Rs 23,518 in 2008 to Rs 21 lakh in 2013.
United Democratic Party candidate, who is seeking his reelection from Mairang, Metbah Lyngdoh's asset have also increased by Rs 37.29 crore.
Assembly speaker Charles Pyngrope assets has increased by over Rs 3 crore in the past five years. In 2008 his assets was valued at Rs 3.77 crore and now he has declared assets worth Rs 6.94 crore this year.
Interestingly, eight candidates have also reported decrease in their assets compared to 2008.
Among them the highest decrease has been shown by Mawsynram constituency NPP candidate DP Langjuh (almost 93 per cent decline in assets, Rs 1.02 crore in 2008 to Rs 7 lakh in 2013), followed by Nongthymmai KHNAM candidate Manosha Warjri (86 per cent reduction in assets, from Rs 3 lakh in 2008 to Rs 41 thousand in 2013) and Umroi HSPDP candidate Markus Lyngdoh (62 per cent decline in assets, Rs 24,000 in 2008 to Rs 9,000 in 2013).