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40 pc �crorepati� MLAs in State

By Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Jan 18 - Notwithstanding the prevailing poverty and lack of development in Assam, the State has 40 per cent �crorepati� MLAs in the Legislative Assembly.

According to the self-sworn affidavits of the 126 MLAs in the Assembly elections of 2011, 50 MLAs in the current Assembly have declared assets worth several crores of rupees.

According to a report by the Assam Election Watch (AEW) and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), the organisations analysing criminal background, financial, educational and other details of the MLAs and candidates, 10 per cent MLAs have declared criminal cases against them. A party-wise break-up suggests that 33 per cent of the AIUDF MLAs and five per cent of Congress MLAs have such cases against them.

Both the organisations also demanded bringing all the political parties under the ambit of the RTI Act so that the people can know the source of income of the political parties.

In the financial analysis of State MLAs, Anjan Dutta of Congress has declared highest assets worth Rs 10.89 crore followed by Abdur Rahim Ajmal of AIUDF with declared assets worth Rs 10.15 crore and Hitesh Basumatary of BPF with assets worth Rs 7.50 crore.

The list of top ten crorepati MLAs includes Anjan Dutta, Abdur Rahim Ajmal, Hitesh Basumatary, Abdur Rahman Azmal, Naba Kumar Doley, Dwipen Pathak, Debabrata Saikia, Tarun Gogoi, Prafulla Kumar Mahanta and Padma Hazarika. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has declared an asset worth Rs 4.94 crore.

A party wise breakup here suggests that nine AGP MLAs have highest average assets worth Rs 2.42 crore and average asset of Congress MLAs is Rs 1.27 crore.

On the other hand, Girindra Mallik and Pallab Lochan Das of Congress and Aminul Islam of AIUDF are the MLAs with lowest assets.

The criminal background of the MLAs on the other hand, suggests that four of 78 MLAs from the Congress have criminal cases against them with two serious criminal cases. Of AIUDF�s 18 MLAs, six have declared criminal cases against them. Four MLAs of the party are with serious declared criminal cases. One MLA each from the BJP and the AITC has declared criminal cases, according to the report.

Moreover, 27 per cent of the MLAs in Assam have an educational qualification of 12th pass or below, whereas 71 per cent MLAs are graduates or above.

Tasaduk Ariful Hussain, State coordinator of AEW said that the request of proper verification of the declared assets is pending before the Election Commission of India. He also asked the political parties to make public the criteria of giving party ticket to the candidates.

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