Assets of eight out of 13 MLAs who are re-contesting in Ludhiana district have increased by more than 20% since 2017, as per the latest report of the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). The report also suggests that the annual income of majority of these MLAs is more than Rs 10 lakh as per the last tax return filed by them.

According to the ADR data, in Ludhiana, assets of Lakhvir Singh, Congress MLA from Payal who is seeking re-election from the same seat, have witnessed the maximum rise since 2017 at 268%, followed by Jagraon AAP MLA Sarvjit Kaur Manuke , who is also contesting from the same seat. Manuke’s assets have grown by 98% while those of cabinet minister Gurkirat Singh, who is contesting elections as a Congress candidate from Khanna, have grown by 88% and of another cabinet minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu by 30%.

The report said assets of Ludhiana East MLA Sanjeev Talwar , who is contesting as a Congress candidate from the same seat, witnessed the highest fall of 74% and that of Samrala MLA Amrik Singh, who is fighting as an Independent after being denied ticket by the Congress, dropped by 5% since 2017.

As far as annual income of MLAs who are re-contesting is concerned, as per the last tax return, Gill MLA Kuldeep Singh Vaid’s was the highest at Rs 62 lakh, followed by Congress MLA Surinder Kumar Dawar and SAD MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali at over Rs 40 lakh.