BJD fields highest number of crorepatis for LS polls

The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has fielded the highest number of seven 'crorepati' ( having property worth Rs 1 crore and more ) candidates in the Lok Sabha elections to be held in two phases in Orissa. It is followed by the Congress and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

The Orissa Election Watch (OEW), a voluntary organisation said, BJD is in close competition with the Congress, which has fielded six candidates having movable and immovable assets worth more than Rs 1 crore.

While Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has fielded 4 such candidates, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has fielded 3 'crorepati' candidates, OEW coordinator Ranjan Mohanty said here. The richest BJD candidates included Pinaki Mishra, Baijayant Panda, Bhartruhari Mahatab, Nityananda Pradhan, Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, Dambaru Majhi and Arjun Charan Sethi.

Pinaki Mishra, contesting elections on BJD ticket from the Puri constituency, is the richest amongst all those in the fray and has declared total assets of Rs 29.7 crore in his affidavit. He has movable assets of Rs 6,500,000 and immovable assets worth Rs 29 crore.

The Congress candidate from the Keonjhar constituency, Dhananjaya Sidhu is the second richest candidate with movable assets of Rs 1,267,000 and immovable assets are worth Rs 26.9 crore. Similarly, the Biju Janata Dal candidate for Kendrapada parliamentary constituency Baijayant Panda, comes third in the list with total assets of Rs 17.7 crore. Panda has movable assets worth Rs 10.4 crore and immovable assets of Rs 7.2 crore, Mohanty said.