• Total assets range from just Rs 5251 to over Rs 137 crore
• BJP leads with 80% of candidates as crorepatis
Moa Jamir
Dimapur | February 14
A total of 104 hopefuls for a seat in the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) have total assets worth over 1 crore or are ‘crorepatis,’ revealed The Morung Express’ analysis of the affidavits submitted by candidates to the Election Commission of India (ECI).
In terms of total assets inclusive of both movable and immovable assets, there was one candidate who was billionaire, or worth above Rs 100 crores.
Overall, the number of ‘crorepati' candidates in the fray for Nagaland assembly elections slated to be held on February 27 is over 56%.
Besides, there were 29 other candidates whose total assets were worth between Rs 50 lakh-99.9 lakh with 9 of them above Rs 90 lakh.
Collectively, a total of 134 or 72.83% of the total candidates had total assets work Rs 50 lakh or above.
On the other end, there were four candidates whose assets were worth Rs 58,000 or below and the ‘poorest’ candidate had assets worth just Rs 5251.
Again, 22 of them had assets between Rs 1-10 lakh, while 25 falls in Rs 10 lakh & above to 50 lakh category.
Accordingly, the worth of total assets of 184 candidates, inclusive of the one already elected unopposed was Rs 789,18,33,639 or Rs 789.18 crore.
This averages to over Rs 4.28 crore per candidate.
Out of Rs 789.18 crore, however, over Rs 672 crore were immovable assets while the rest Rs 105 crore were ‘movable assets.’
The assets analysis is restricted to candidates only, and not their spouses.
Movable assets include cash in hand, different types of deposits in banks, financial institutions, cooperative societies etc; investment in bonds, debentures/shares, NSS, Insurance Policies etc; personal loans/advance; vehicles, jewellery etc.
Immovable assets comprised of agricultural and non-agricultural land, commercial and residential buildings (including apartments).
The top layers
Out of 104 ‘crorepatis,’ the candidate with highest assets was Dr Sukhato A Sema, a Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas)’s candidate from 13 Pughoboto Assembly Constituency (AC).
He was worth over Rs 137 crore, out of which Rs 129 crore was immovable assets and the rest (over Rs 8.21 crore) was designated as movable assets. He is the lone billionaire in the fray.
Placed second was the Nagaland Chief Minister and the ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) candidate from 10 Northern Angami II AC with total assets valued at Rs 34.36 crore.
Of this, over Rs 9.80 crore were movable and the rest (over Rs 24.56 crore) were immovable assets.
Dr Tsilhoutuo Rhutso of the National People’s Party (NPP) of 9 Kohima Town AC was third with assets worth Rs 20.14 crore, followed by Senchumo Lotha of Janata Dal United (JDU) contesting from 37 Tyui AC at Rs 17.15 crore.
Out of the totals, Rhutso had over Rs 20.76 lakh in movable assets, while Lotha had Rs 1.73 crore.
The fifth candidate with the highest total assets was Yitachu of LJP (Ram Vilas) contesting from 20 Meluri AC with over Rs 15.62 crore, comprising of Rs 2.26 crore as movable and Rs 13.36 as immovable assets.
Collectively, the total assets of 104 crorepatis were worth whooping Rs 759.23 crore, inclusive of Rs 95.63 crore movable and Rs 653.30 crore immovable assets.
The bottom layers
Not every candidate was loaded though, with T Ngampai Konyak, a candidate of Indian National Congress (INC) declaring assets worth just Rs 5251.
Contesting from the 44 Phomching AC, Konyak had no immovable assets and the difference in assets with the ‘richest’ candidate Sema was a massive Rs 137,30,06,203 or over Rs 137.30 crore.
Closely following Ngampai was H Chinshak Konyak from the same constituency representing the Naga People’s Front (NPF) with Rs 25,000 as movable assets.
Next from the bottom was Dr Chingo Walim, an Independent contender from 45 Tehok AC, who was worth Rs 50,000. The other candidate from same constituency Chingkai Konyak representing LJP (Ram Vilas) was fourth at Rs 58,000.
With assets worth Rs 1,01,706, Wangka Konyak from Republican Party of India (Athawale) from 47 Aboi AC was fifth.
All the five candidates had no immovable assets, as per affidavits submitted to the ECI during nominations.
Party-wise ‘crorepatis’
Party wise, 16 out of 20 candidates or 80% from the BJP came under the tag of ‘crorepati’ with assets ranging from Rs 1.10 crore to over Rs 269 crore.
The party’s ‘poorest’ candidate was Er Cheong Konyak from 46 Mon Town AC at assets worth Rs 2,05,315, while the rest ranged from Rs 67.84 lakh to Rs 98.92 lakh.
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) was close second at 75%, with 9 out its 12 candidates with assets worth over Rs 1 crores. Amenba Yaden from the 21 Tuli AC was at the top with Rs 10.58 crore, inclusive of Rs10.30 crores as immovable assets.
The third party with most crorepatis in terms of percentage was LJP (Ram Vilas) with 10 out of 16 candidates (62.5%), with Dr Sema at the top.
Out of the 7 JDU candidates, four (57.14%) had assets worth more than Rs 1 crore led by party State Chief Senchumo Lotha of 37 Tyui AC at Rs 17.15 crore, with Rs 15.42 crore as immovable assets.
There were 34 crorepati among the 60 NDPP candidates (56.66%) headed by CM Rio at the top, and 10 candidates worth above Rs 10 crore.
In the NPF, there were 12 candidates or 54.54% worth over Rs 1 crore out of 22 candidates. Dr Roland Lotha of 39 Sanis was at the top with Rs 12.50 crore in immovable assets and over Rs 50 lakh in movable assets. He was followed by Khriehu Liezietsu of 11 Northern Angami I at Rs 10.16 crore including over Rs 9.25 crore as immovable assets.
Among the 19 Independent candidates, there were 9 (or 47.37%) with assets worth over Rs 1 crore and the highest was V Phushika Aomi of 4 Ghaspani I AC with assets over Rs 13.07 crore, out of which Rs 12.92 crore was immovable assets.
Out of 12 NPP candidates, 41.67% or 5 were crorepatis with Dr Tsilhoutuo Rhutso of 9 Kohima Town highest at Rs 20.14 crore, with Rs 19.94 crore as immovable assets.
Among the 8 RPI-A candidates, there were 3 crorepatis (37.5%), with Kasheto Yeptho of 5 Ghaspani II at the top with Rs 9.27 crore, out of which Rs 8.50 were immovable assets.
The INC had least number of crorepatis with just 3 candidates (13.04%) with assets worth over Rs 1 crore out of 23 candidates. Toshipokba from 26 Aonglenden AC was at the top with Rs 4 crore, out of which only Rs 91,000 was designated as movable assets.
Correction: This article has been updated to rectify some tabulation errors.
