MLAs see their fortune rise manifold in 5 years

Whether the state of Gujarat has changed for better or worse in the last five years is a matter of debate between the BJP and the Congress ahead of the Assembly elections, but the financial state of some of the MLAs across party lines has certainly improved during this period.

This is what one gets to see when comparing the declaration of property — movable and immovable — made to the Election Commission over the last few days with the declaration made ahead of the 2007 elections.

For some MLAs, the last five years have been quite profitable with their assets growing manifold.

Congress MLA from Dabhoi and Gujarat Congress's campaign in charge Siddharth Patel, for example, saw the asset of his family grow over three fold from Rs 19.7 crore to Rs 71.92 crore in the last five years, as per financial declaration filed with the EC.

Movable assets in his name almost doubled from Rs 4.08 crore to Rs 7.75 crore in the last five years. His wife's asset also grew from Rs 5.10 core to Rs 7.52 crore.

His fortune jumped with the sharp rise in the price of agricultural land that he and his wife collectively own, as declared in his affidavit. Against the combined valuation of Rs 8.13 crore back in 2007, the valuation of all the land his family owns today stands at Rs 54.26 crore.

Congress MLA from Thasra constituency in Kheda district Ramsinh Parmar, who had declared property worth Rs 2.05 crore in 2007, now owns property worth Rs 37.59 crore.

As per his affidavit, he invested heavily in land in 2011. Parmar, who owns "no vehicle", bought fresh land and buildings. The asset of his wife has increased from Rs 41.5 lakh to Rs 1.5 crore during this period.

... contd.

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