Naveen, Sangeeta Top Rich Candidates List In Second-Phase Polls: Study

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Sangeeta Singh Deo are the richest candidates contesting the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls respectively, says a joint study by the Odisha Election Watch and the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) on the self-sworn affidavits of the candidates for the second phase of polls scheduled on April 18.

Out of the 35 candidates contesting five Lok Sabha seats of Bargarh, Sundargarh, Balangir, Kandhamal and Aska, 11 (31%) candidates have assets worth more than Rs 1 crore. Of these candidates, Patnagarh Queen and BJP candidate Sangeeta Singhdeo is the richest candidate with total assets amounting to Rs 37.95 cr followed by two BJD candidates Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo (Rs 20.48 cr) and Prasanna Acharya (Rs 9 cr).

Out of the 241 candidates contesting 35 Assembly seats, 70(29%) are crorepatis of which BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is the richest candidate with the total assets amounting to Rs 63.87 cr. He is followed by BJP candidate KV Singh Deo (Rs 37.95 cr) and BJD candidate Naba Kishore Das (Rs 33.62 cr).