UP elections: Meet the richest candidate for the first phase of poll

New Delhi, Feb 3: Amit Agarwal, BJP candidate from Mathura Cantonment, is the richest candidate in the fray for the first phase of Uttar Pradesh polls. He is followed by SK Sharma of the BSP (Mathura) and Rahul Yadav of the Samajwadi Party (Sikandrabad), as per poll reforms advocacy group ADR.

Amit Agarwal has declared assets worth over Rs 148 crore, while SK Sharma and Rahul Yadav have declared Rs 112 crore and over Rs 100 crore, respectively.

Notably, two candidates have declared zero assets. These candidates are Bahujan Mukti Party's Kailash Kumar, contesting from Atrauli in Aligarh, and Rashtra Nirman Party's Km Priti, who will be contesting from the Meerapur seat in Muzaffarnagar, it noted.

Among the bottom three candidates in terms of finances declared are Independents Shiv Charan Lal (Etmadpur) with just Rs 1,000 worth assets and Ambedkari Hasanuram (Kheragarh seat) with Rs 1,100, the report stated. Neel, who will be contesting from Agra North as the Bharatiya Majdoor Janata Party candidate, has declared assets worth Rs 10,000, according to the ADR.

Of the financially bottom-three candidates excluding those with zero assets, two have declared having around Rs 1,000, while one has Rs 10,000, the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) stated. The average of assets per candidate contesting in the first phase of the polls is Rs 3.72 crores, it said in a report in which it analysed self-sworn affidavits of the nominees.

Among major parties, the average of assets for 28 SP candidates analysed by the ADR is Rs 13.23 crores, while it was Rs 12.01 crore for 57 BJP candidates, Rs 8.32 crores for 29 RLD candidates, Rs 7.71 crore for 56 BSP candidates, Rs 3.08 crores for 58 INC candidates and Rs 1.23 crores for 52 AAP candidates.

Voting is scheduled for February 10 in 58 assembly constituencies across 11 districts of western Uttar Pradesh with over 600 candidates, including Independents, in the fray. PTI