Rs 2 Crores Separates the Richest From the Poorest Lok Sabha Candidate In Arunachal

ITANAGAR: The gap between the ‘richest’ and ‘poorest’ MP candidates for Arunachal Pradesh’s two Lok Sabha seats is over Rs two crore, at least according to the candidates' declared assets.

Affidavits submitted by the candidates to the Election Commission reveal that the Congress’ candidate and former chief minister Nabam Tuki is the wealthiest for Arunachal West Lok Sabha constituency with declared moveable assets worth Rs 2,55,36,086.

His closest rival, in terms of declared assets, is the National People’s Party’s Khyoda Apik with declared moveable assets worth Rs 2,32,11,469.

Jomoh, however, named three firms in his affidavit but their monetary value was not declared. He and two other candidates from Arunachal West also do not own any cars.

The young engineering graduate who is jumping into electoral politics is fighting political heavyweights such as the incumbent Kiren Rijiju (declared asset Rs 56.48 lakh) and former chief minister Nabam Tuki (declared asset Rs 2,55,36,086).

Jomoh and All India Forward Bloc’s Jomin Nyokir Kara (declared asset Rs 20,10,000) find themselves in the same boat as Rijiju- candidates with no vehicles to their or their spouse’s name.

The People’s Party of Arunachal candidate for Arunachal West, Subu Kechi, has done well for himself since the 2014 election when he had declared his assets valued at Rs 2,85,000. This time his declared assets are worth Rs 14.55 lakh.

Activist/politician Jarjum Ete, who is looking to become the first woman from the state to be elected to the Lok Sabha, has declared assets worth Rs 32.75 lakh, which is more than the Arunachal East parliamentary constituency’s second richest candidate.

In the eastern constituency, five candidates are looking to fill in the soon-to-be-vacated seat by incumbent Ninong Ering who is contesting the Pasighat West assembly seat this time around.

Former state minister James Lowangcha Wanglat has set his eyes on Delhi riding on a Congress ticket and assets worth Rs 1,82,34,127. He is the only ‘declared’ crorepati contesting the Arunachal East seat with his nearest rival being former MP, the BJP’s Tapir Gao whose declared assets are worth Rs 30,40,935.

Another former minister, veteran politician CC Singpho is also looking to fight for the seat but could be handicapped by the lack of a vehicle (as declared in his affidavit). Singpho is also the ‘poorest’ of the five candidates with declared assets worth Rs 5,21,617. He and Janata Dal (Secular) candidate Bandey Mili (declared asset Rs 25,07,497) are car-less candidates.

The PPA’s Mongol Yomso with Rs 15,12,638 rounds of the wealth list of candidates.

The assets’ declaration comparison does not take into account the assets listed under the candidates’ spouses. In polygamous societies like those in Arunachal Pradesh, more than one candidate has listed at least two spouses.