May 12th 2024.
In Bhubaneswar, a recent report has revealed that out of the 40 candidates running for the five Lok Sabha seats in Odisha, 13 of them are considered "crorepatis". This means that they have assets worth over one crore rupees. The report, published by the Association for Democratic Reforms and Chhattisgarh Election Watch, also provided details on the richest and poorest candidates in the fray.
The wealthiest candidate is Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo, who is the current Member of Parliament and is running for the Bolangir seat as a nominee for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Her total assets amount to a staggering 67.30 crore rupees. The five seats that are up for election in the fifth phase are Aska, Bargarh, Bolangir, Kandhamal, and Sundargarh, along with 35 Assembly constituencies.
Following closely behind Singh Deo are two other prominent candidates from Sundargarh - Dilip Tirkey from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Jual Oram from the BJP. Both of them have significant assets, making this a highly competitive race.
On the other hand, the three candidates with the lowest assets are Devika Sika from the National Apni Party in Bargarh, Balaram Sa, an independent candidate from Bolangir, and Justin Lugun from the Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI) in Sundargarh. The report also states that the average assets per candidate for these five seats is 3.05 crore rupees.
When it comes to political parties, the report reveals that the average assets per candidate for the BJP is 16.27 crore rupees, followed by the BJD and Congress with five candidates each. This clearly shows the financial strength of these parties.
Apart from the financial aspect, the report also sheds light on the criminal records of the candidates. It states that 12 of them have criminal cases registered against them, and eight of them are facing serious charges. This is a concerning issue and should be taken into consideration by the voters.
On a positive note, the report also mentions that 21 candidates have at least a graduate degree or higher qualifications, which is a good sign for the state's political landscape.
In total, Odisha will witness elections for 21 Lok Sabha seats and 147 Assembly constituencies in four phases, starting from May 13 and ending on June 1. The results will be declared on June 4. It is now up to the people of Odisha to carefully consider all the information provided and make an informed decision while casting their votes.
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