Many Aam Aadmi Party candidates in the Delhi Assembly elections do not seem to have aam aadmi roots, economically and financially at least, including party convenor Arvind Kejriwal.
The affidavits filed by the party’s 70 candidates along with their nomination papers reveal that as many as 11 of them are worth more than a crore with R.K. Puram candidate Shazia Ilmi leading the pack with Rs.30 crore.
Under attack from rivals for fielding so many crorepatis, Mr. Kejriwal tried to put up a defence.
“Whoever owns a house in Delhi is a crorepati. We are nowhere. Baat arabpati ki honi chahiye (The talk should be of billionaires),” he said after filing his nomination papers from the New Delhi seat on Saturday.
According to the affidavit filed by Ms. Ilmi, she has declared that she and her husband own a Jeanneau yacht worth Rs.43 lakh and a Mercedes car valued at Rs.22 lakh. Besides this, they also have cash deposits of over Rs.5.69 crore and investments of over Rs.7 crore. Ms. Ilmi also owns a 1,800-square feet flat in New Delhi’s posh locality Greater Kailash-II, claiming to be valued at Rs.1.75 crore.
Her husband Sajid Siraj Malik, on the other hand, owns three flats, including one in Mumbai’s Bandra locality, valued at Rs.12.58 crore. He also owns two bighas of land in Mahmedabad, Gujarat, with a value of Rs.2 crore, the affidavit said.
Kejriwal has assets worth Rs. 92 lakh
Mr. Kejriwal’s personal assets are worth Rs.92 lakh, which includes two plots of land, bank deposits, investments and cash in hand.
His wife has movable and immovable property worth Rs.1 crore comprising two plots of 2,244 square feet each. Jointly their assets are worth Rs.1.92 crore.
The AAP’s candidate from Uttam Nagar constituency, Deshraj Raghav, has declared immovable and movable properties of more than Rs.12 crore. He and his wife own 30 bighas of land in Alwar, Rajasthan.
Baljit Singh Mann, contesting from the Narela seat, has declared assets of Rs.8.67 crore while Girish Soni, fielded from Madipur, is worth Rs.1.25 crore. Prit Pal Singh, who is self-employed, is contesting from Rajouri Garden and has declared assets worth Rs.1.7 crore.
Jarnail Singh, a businessman, has been fielded from Tilak Nagar. He has assets worth Rs. 1.7 crore.
Among the other crorepatis are Mahinder Yadav, candidate from Vikaspuri, who is worth Rs 1.57 crore and Narender Singh Sejwal, who is contesting from Mehrauli and is worth Rs 3.07 crore.
Dharambir Singh, who is an advocate and fighting from the Kalkaji seat, has declared assets worth Rs 1.04 crore.
