Going by the declaration of assets made by contesting candidates, the assembly election in Haryana would veritably be a contest of crorepatis. Of the 489 total candidates in the fray, over 51% have declared assets worth more than Rs1 crore, the richest among them being from the ruling Congress party.
According to National Election Watch, an NGO, the Congress has fielded the maximum number of crorepati candidates, 72 of the total 90, followed by the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD). Fifty-six of the INLD’s 88 candidates are
crorepatis. The Haryana Janhit Party’s Mohit, with assets worth Rs93 crore, is the richest candidate. Next on the rich list is former cabinet minister Venod Sharma, whose son Manu Sharma was involved in the controversial Jessica murder case. Venod Sharma owns assets worth Rs 87 crore. Incidentally, he had declared assets worth Rs93 lakh in the last Assembly elections in 2005.
The assets of 31 sitting MLAs, who are seeking re-election, has increased by more than 500 per cent. Congress nominee Sharda Rathore, who had assets worth Rs81,000 the last time, is now worth over Rs45 lakh.
Over 14% of candidates in the fray have criminal cases pending against them. Of these, 14 are from the Congress, 14 from the Haryana Janhit Party and 12 each from the Indian National Lok Dal and the BSP.
Representation of women among contestants has been niggardly. Just 5.5% of the total candidates are women. The Congress has fielded just 12 women candidates, the BJP gave seven and INLD nine. Polling is on October 13.
