Assets of heavyweight candidates shot up in Odisha

The value of assets of political heavyweights contesting assembly polls from politically-sensitive Kendrapara district has seen a big jump.
Pratap Keshari Dev, a minister of state and BJD nominee from Aul Assembly seat, is the richest amongst the candidates in the fray for the five Assembly seats in the district.
Property owned by Dev and his spouse is estimated to be Rs 3.98 crore. The 43-year-old scion of the erstwhile Aul Royal family has movable assets worth Rs 41 lakh while immovable property owned by the Dev couple is to the tune of 3.57 crore. Dev's movable and immovable assets have doubled in value in the past five years.

Former Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak's assets have shot up more than four times within a span of past five years. Nayak, locked in a contest with BJP veteran Bijoy Mohapatra from Mahakalpada Assembly seat, owned property worth Rs 24.67 lakh in 2009 while it has gone upto Rs 1.05 crore this time.
Mohapatra is the owner of an estimated Rs 49 lakh assets while his wealth stood at Rs 20 lakh in 2009.
Assets owned by BJD leader and former minister Bed Prakash Agarwalla, contesting from Patkura seat, have almost doubled its value. While Agarwalla owned Rs 1.35 crore in 2009, it has shot up to Rs 2.26 crore in 2014.

Former minister Ganeswar Behera, Congress nominee from Kendrapara Assembly seat, owned Rs 5.12 lakh property in 2004 while it has gone up to Rs 1.16 crore over a year of ten years. A sizeable chunk of the movable and immovable assets is owned by Behera's spouse, who is a government employee.
Kishore Tarai, BJD candidate from Kendrapara Assembly seat, owned Rs 7.69 lakh property when he was elected from Pattamundai Assembly seat in 2004. He was denied party ticket in 2009. His assets have gone up to Rs 91 lakh this time.