Six millionaires, two paupers in fray in Tripura

Six of the 25 candidates vying for Tripura's two Lok Sabha seats are 'crorepatis' (multi-millionaires) according to the affidavits filed along with their nomination papers.

Polls will be held in the Left-ruled state in two phases - April 7 and 12.

"Out of 25 candidates contesting for the two Lok Sabha seats, six candidates (24 percent) are crorepatis," Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Tripura Election Watch (TEW) said in a report.

The report said two Congress candidates, one each of the CPI-M (Communist Party of India-Marxist) and the Aam Aadmi Party, and two Independents have declared assets ranging between Rs.1 crore to Rs.4 crore.

The ADR and TEW report said affidavits of the 25 candidates were analysed and it was found that three candidates (12 percent), including a CPI-M nominee, have declared criminal cases were pending against themselves.

Of the 25 candidates, two candidates are Class 8 pass, seven Class 10 pas, and three have passed Class 12, while there are eight graduates, four post-graduates and one candidate (of the Congress) has a doctorate degree.

The two poorest candidates belong to the local parties. Among them, Falguni Debbarma, candidate of the CPI (M-Liberation) in East Tripura constituency, has net worth of Rs.3,500, while Subarnamala Debbarma, candidate of Amra Bangali Party in the same constituency, has shown net worth of Rs.7,485.

Patal Kanya Jamatya, an Independent in East Tripura constituency, has declared net worth of Rs.30,000.

TEW programme cordinator Biswendu Bhattacharjee said that for the past many years, the ADR and the TEW have been publishing candidate profiles ahead of all state assembly and Lok Sabha elections.