AGARTALA, Jan 25 � Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar can arguably be dubbed �the cleanest and poorest� Chief Minister in the country with personal property, movable and immovable, valued at less than Rs 2.5 lakh.
According to the affidavit submitted by the 64-year-old Sarkar during filing of nomination in Dhanpur constituency yesterday for the coming Assembly elections, he had Rs 1,080 cash in hand and his bank balance stood at Rs 9,720.
Sarkar is aiming for a fourth consecutive term. He inherited a tin-shed home of 432 sq ft from his deceased mother Anjali Sarkar whose present market value was Rs 2,20,000.
However, his wife Panchali Bhattacharya, a retired Central Government officer has a fixed deposit of Rs 23,58,380 and 20 gm of gold jewellery, market value of which is Rs 72,000. She has cash of Rs 22,015 in hand.
Her family sources said she had got the money as her retirement benefit. The couple has no movable property and the total value of immovable property and cash is Rs 24,52,395.
A State Committee member of the ruling CPIM, Haripada Das, who looks after the accounts of the party said, like other party members, Sarkar donates his full salary and subsidiary allowances to the party and instead the party pays him Rs 5,000 as subsistence allowances.
According to official sources, the Chief Minister�s monthly salary is Rs 9,200 which, perhaps is the lowest in the country. When contacted, State party secretary Bijan Dhar said, �I can only say that he has no leaning for increasing his own personal property. He has dedicated his entire life for the party and people.� � PTI