The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and the National Election Watch have analysed the self-sworn affidavits of all 30 current chief ministers of state Assemblies and union territories across the country. There is a stark difference in declared assets, with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu being the wealthiest, having total declared assets of Rs 931 crore. In contrast, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is the poorest, with declared assets of only RS 15.38 lakh.
Compared to Naidu, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, who is the second wealthiest chief minister in the country, has significantly less, with total declared assets of Rs 332.56 crore.
Overall, the chief ministers from the region seem to be doing quite well in terms of declared assets. Nagaland CM Neiphiu Rio has declared assets worth Rs 46.95 crore, placing him at fourth. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma ranks ninth with declared assets of Rs 7.27 crore, while his Meghalaya counterpart Conrad Sangma has declared assets of Rs 14.06 crore. Tripura CM Manik Saha has total assets of Rs 13.90 crore.
The average asset value per chief minister across the states and union territories is Rs 54.42 crore. The average self-income of chief ministers is Rs 13,34,738, while the total declared assets of the 30 chief ministers amount to Rs 1,632 crore. All this data have been compiled by the ADR.
These figures send a clear message: financial status can play a significant role in reaching the coveted chair. One has to be like Mamata Banerjee to stay in power for such a prolonged period – her declared assets may make her appear a pauper compared to her counterparts, but her political staying power doesn’t seem to be dictated solely by personal wealth.
The numbers are also a reminder that the leaders of a poor country aren’t necessarily poor themselves – highlighting the uneven penetration of wealth.