RANCHI: As many as 31 of the 217 candidates in fray from the 15 assembly constituencies that go to the polls in the fourth phase are crorepatis and the average assets per candidate stands at Rs 55.08 lakh, says data provided of the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR). The fourth phase of Jharkhand assembly elections will take place on December 14.

Sushil Kumar Singh, Janta Dal (United)'s candidate from Sindri constituency, has assets worth Rs 8.58 crore, the highest among all candidate. Singh is followed by JVM(P)'s Sindri candidate Rekha Mandal, who has assets worth Rs 5.5 crore. She is closely followed by Raj Paliwar, BJP nominee from Madhupur.

Among political parties, BJP has the highest number of crorepati candidates with 10 of its 13 nominees having assets worth more than Rs 1 crore. As many as five of 15 JMM candidates are crorepatis, followed by four of 14 JVM(P) candidates. Of the 11 Congress candidates in fray, two are crorepatis. Two of the 67 independents are also crorepatis.

Meanwhile, with assets worth Rs 472, Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) candidate Kalidasi Bauri (Chandankyari constituency) is the poorest candidate followed by Lukman Ansari, an independent from Jharia, who has assets worth 45,000. Bauri, 39, works as a coordinator of mid day meal at a government high school in Chandankyari. She said, "I dont have a permanent house. I either live in the party office or at the house of some or the other party worker. My husband also lives in the party office and the party workers are funding the education of my three daughters studying at Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya."

Member of SUCI (Communist), Kumud Mahato said, "Kalidasi and her husband have been members of our party for a long time and she is well known among the people of the constituency. That is why we decided to give her a chance to contest the election. She is one of the common people and she can connect well with them."