Richest, poorest in bypoll fray both from Kharagpur

Kolkata: In the forthcoming by-election , Kharagpur Sadar has both the richest and the poorest candidates. According to the affidavits by candidates, Prem Chandra Jha of BJP is the richest with assets worth more than Rs 4 crore and Md Ibrar, an independent candidate, is the poorest with only Rs 8,500 in his kitty. There are four more ‘crorepatis’ and three candidates, whose assets are less than Rs 1 lakh, among the 18 candidates in the fray.

Jha, a businessman from Kharagpur, has an immovable property of Rs 1.3 crore and a movable property worth Rs 2.9 crore. Jha’s major rival, Trinamool Congress’s Pradip Sarkar, has asset worth over Rs 1 crore with immovable assets being pegged at Rs 70 lakh and movable assets worth over Rs 32 lakh.

“I have a transport business and I am into active politics since 2005. From my understanding of politics, I can say that the response of people is very good and there is a fair possibility for BJP. Dilip Ghosh had won form this constituency and this time we are going to win,” Jha told TOI.

Congress candidate from Kaliagunj in North Dinajpur, Dhitashri Roy, and two Trinamool candidates — Bimalendu Sinha Roy from Nadia’s Karimpur Nadia and Tapan Deb Singha from Kaliagunj in North Dinajpur — are also ‘crorepatis’.

There are three candidates, whose total assets — both movable and immovable cumulatively — are worth less than a lakh. Md Ibrar, a hawker from Khargapur who is contesting as an independent candidate, assets worth only Rs 8,500.

“I have nothing — neither money nor muscle power. But I understand that what is happening in Kharagpur is not correct,” Ibrar said.