WEST BENGAL: In a region in the western part of the state where more than 70 per cent people live below the poverty line, Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidates are the richest among the contestants in 39 Assembly constituencies. TMC is expected to sweep the April 4 and 11 elections here, as it has the clout and has nominated rich candidates.
Samir Chakraborty aka Bua, contesting from Taldangra seat in Bankura district, one of the most undeveloped and backward in the country, has declared assets worth Rs 40 crore. His wife Krishna, who was once Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s private secretary when she first became an MP in 1984, is now the chairman of Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation.
Chakraborty’s immovable assets include a bungalow at posh Salt Lake, two luxury flats at Rosedale in New Town and at Regal, and a plot in New Town in Kolkata. His wife owns a flat at a prime locality on the E M Bypass. He had earlier contested elections on a Congress ticket but never won. He worked briefly for a firm, and later invested in a Bengali television channel linked to the multi-crore Saradha chit fund scam. He was summoned and interrogated by central investigative agencies. His worth is 20 times more than any other TMC candidate.
“This is his declared income. He is the richest nominee in West Bengal,” said a TMC source.
According to affidavits filed with the Election Commission, the average assets of TMC nominees here is over Rs 1.5 crore, the highest compared to opposition party contestants.
After the poriborton (change) in 2011 when Mamata ousted the CPI(M)-led Left Front that ruled West Bengal for 34 years, the wheels of fortune changed for TMC leaders. Many turned their hutments into palatial houses, bought luxury vehicles and SUVs and spent crores for their children’s weddings. Sheik Sufian, a leader of the Nandigram agitation, had a small house, which turned into a three-storey building.
Dulal Murmu was a school teacher who got elected from Nayagram on a TMC ticket in 2011, when his movable and immovable assets were worth Rs 82,079. This time in his affidavit, he declared assets worth Rs 45,19,747. Murmu lives in a two-storeyed house in Contai, which is said to be worth Rs 50 lakh. He has an SUV worth Rs 8 lakh, a plot of land and a bank balance of Rs 13 lakh. In five years, his assets increased by 45 times.
Now, TMC’s tribal face here is state Minister for Tribal Development Sukumar Hansda. A physician, Hansda’s assets in 2011—when he was elected from Jhargram—was Rs 57,80,271. This time it is Rs 1,31,24,710.
Another state minister and TMC candidate from Balarampur in Purulia, Shantiram Mahato’s assets has quadrupled in five years. In 2011, he had assets worth Rs 7,92,224; this time, it is Rs 32,66,211.
Retired state government employee Mrigen Maity, TMC MLA from Midnapore town, had Rs 31 lakh in 2011. In the last five years, his assets shot up to Rs 70,88,000. TMC MLA from Ghatal Shankar Dolui was worth Rs 17,67,000 in 2011; now he has Rs 56,22,000. “I earned as a legislator through my salary and allowances and by farming,” says Dolui.
Actor-turned-politician Soham Chakraborty, a new TMC nominee from Borjora in Bankura, has a Rs 40 lakh apartment and investments and cash amounting to Rs 2 crore in his and his wife’s names.
Another rich TMC contestant and MLA is Dibyajyoti Prasad Singh Deo, who belongs to Purulia’s royal family. His has immovable assets of Rs 1,06,78,709 and movable assets worth Rs 1,17,43, 929, totalling Rs 2,24,22,638.