There is an average increase of Rs 3 crore in assets of 174 sitting MLAs seeking reelection in past five years! To put it in other words, assets worth of Rs 600 crore have been added to cumulative wealth of these MLAs in past five years.

Nearly half of increase in wealth— Rs 300 crore in terms of money — was reported by 5 MLAs, going by analysis of affidavits by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), an NGO working for electoral reforms.

“Then, there are candidates like BJP’s Shiv Narayan Singh from Bandhavgarh. His assets have shown a dramatic fall in one year. In 2017, when he had contested by-polls, he had declared his assets worth more than Rs 5 crore. Now, it has become only Rs 51lakh,” said MP co-ordinator, Rolly Shivhare.

The ADR analysed 167 out of 174 legislators seeking re-election as affidavits of the remaining MLAs were badly scanned.

From among legislators who are in the poll fray again, BJP MLA Sanjay Satyendra Pathak is at the top of the chart in terms of assets. With a jump of Rs 104 crore, his assets have shown maximum rise. During 2013, he was with INC, but switched loyalty and contested on BJP ticket. He is contesting again on BJP ticket. INC candidate Sanjay Sharma reported an increase of Rs 65 crore in assets. Sharma, who had contested the 2013 poll on BJP ticket, is now contesting on INC ticket. BJP candidate Divyaraj Singh has reported an increase of Rs 58 crore in his assets. “The abnormal increase and decrease in assets of MLAs re-contesting polls should be examined by ECI and the IT department. They are declaring abnormal increase and decrease in their assets,” Shivhare said.