LS elections: A 'zero asset' candidate from Odisha in poll fray

, April 1: Not all candidates in current Lok Sabha

are millionaires. A 34-year-old candidate from

claims that his total assets is 'Nil', says a

.

Contesting from Chitrakonda Assembly segment, Jagabandhu Godangi's affidavit reads that his movable and immovable assets is "nil".

He is a candidate of Samrudha Odisha, a political party that made its debut in the polls in 2009.

His opponents are from parties such as Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which are much bigger, richer and more powerful. But that just doesn't deter his confidence.

"Every village I visit, residents support me. I belong to the Bhumya community and there are around 30,000 people from the community to look out for me. Their support comes handy," he asserts.

Godangi had contested as a Bahujan Samaj Party candidate from Chitrakonda in Malkangiri district in 2009 and lost. In 2007, he was elected Sarpanch of Podaghata GP in Khairput block.

This time he is expecting a better, bigger result. Interestingly, he wasn't quite poor when he was in BSP. In 2009, his declared assets included 1 lakh in cash, a Hero Honda Splendour bike, eight acre land valued at 80,000 and another six cent landed property.

But thanks to his profession, all his assets are gone now.

Oneindia News