Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister & BJD president Naveen Patnaik has declared assets of over Rs 71 crore in his election affidavit while it is Rs 300 crore for former Union minister and BJP’s Rourkela assembly nominee Dilip Ray.
The CM’s assets of Rs 71,07,78,364 include movable properties of Rs 14,05,60,364.40 and immovable inherited assets – Naveen Niwas and property at 3, APJ Abdul Kalam Road in New Delhi, valued at Rs 57,02,18,000. He has 2/3rd share in Naveen Niwas and 50 per cent in the New Delhi property, the affidavit stated.
His movable property includes investment in bonds, and term deposits. He also owns an 1980 model ambassador car valued at Rs 6,434 and jewellery that includes buttons of rubies and diamonds in silver valued at Rs 4.17 lakh. He has also deposited Rs 30 lakh each in two new bank accounts with the State Bank of India branch at Kantabanjhi and Hinjili from where he will be contesting the upcoming elections.
In his Income Tax return filed for 2022-23, the CM has shown his total annual income as Rs 92,24,900, which include income are bank interest, bonds and salary. There is no criminal case against him, the affidavit added.
Ray declared assets is nearly three times of what he had announced in 2014 when he last fought an election. He has shown movable assets of more than Rs 250 crore with Rs 9.32 crore belonging to his wife Pooja in his affidavit submitted to the Election Commission of India on Monday. His immovable assets is worth Rs 45.5 crore while that of his wife is around Rs 8 crore. He has also declared liabilities in the form of bank loan of Rs 41 lakh. His Pooja has another bank loan of Rs 3.72 crore.
Ray, who has been in political hibernation since 2018, became eligible to contest elections after the Delhi high court stayed his conviction in an alleged coal block allocation scam. His electoral entry has also raised the stakes in the high-voltage fight between ex-Union Minister Jual Oram and hockey star Dilip Tirkey for the Sundargarh Lok Sabha seat. Ray, a three-time MLA and two-time Rajya Sabha member, is believed to have influence over the parliamentary seat.
