Bhubaneswar: Two candidates in the fray in the fourth and final phase of assembly elections in Odisha have declared zero assets in their affidavits, according to a report.
Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur Lok Sabha constituencies along with 42 assembly segments falling under these parliamentary seats will go to polls in the last phase June 1.
The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Odisha Election Watch have analysed the self-sworn affidavits of 394 candidates, who are contesting from 42 assembly seats in Odisha.
Sanjay Kumar Das, an Independent candidate contesting from Dhamnagar assembly segment, and Ambedkarite Party of India nominee from Korei constituency, Gopal Krushna Mohant, declared that they did not own any asset.
Several other candidates have declared that they own assets worth less than Rs 10,000.
Independent candidate Benudhar Mohapatra is contesting from Udala assembly seat with only Rs 645 in hand. Another Independent nominee Jharanarani Jena, who is contesting from Basta constituency, has declared that she has only Rs 1,000.
On the other hand, as many as 121 candidates (31 per cent of total nominees) in the fray in the fourth phase are ‘crorepatis’, with BJD candidate from Basta segment, Subasini Jena, being the richest with Rs 135.17 crore assets, the report said.
BJD candidate from Simulia, Subasini Sahoo, is the second richest candidate with assets worth Rs 91.75 crore. Congress nominee from Bhandaripokhari assembly segment, Niranjan Patnaik, was in third place with total assets worth Rs 86.58 crore.
Of the 394 MLA candidates contesting in the fourth phase, 96 have declared that they have criminal cases registered against themselves.
A total of 149 candidates have declared their educational qualifications to be between classes 5 and 12, while 220 nominees have educational qualifications of graduate or above.
Moreover, 22 candidates are diploma holders and three candidates have declared themselves to be just literate.
PTI
