Average assets of re-elected Assam MLAs increased by 95 per cent

Assam Tourism Minister ChandanBrahma registered the highest growth rate of assets whileHealth Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and former chief ministerPrafulla Kumar Mahanta also figure among the top five re-elected MLAs whose assets increased significantly, accordingto a report.

Brahma, who belongs to Bodoland People's Front (BFP)heads the list of the highest growth of assets and is followedby AIUDF's Abdur Rahim Ajmal, Nazrul Islam of Congress, BJP'sSarma and AGP's Mahanta, according to an analysis of assetsof 34 re-elected MLAs in the 2016 assembly elections by theAssam Election Watch.

The average growth of assets of re-elected MLAs in2016 was Rs 1.48 crore, registering an increase by 95 percent, the report said.

Brahma's assets increased from Rs two crore in 2011 toRs nine crore in 2016, registering an increase of 268 per centwhile Ajmal's increased from Rs six crore to Rs 13 crore.

Sarma, who joined the BJP from Congress before the2016 assembly polls, has an increase in assets from Rs threecrore to six crore, registering a growth of 108 per cent.

The two-time former AGP chief minister Prafulla KumarMahantas assets increased from Rs four crore to seven crore,registering an increase of 63 per cent.

Islams assets increased from Rs two crore to Rs fivecrore, registering an increase of 129 per cent.

BPF as a party registered the highest average increaseof 200.97 per cent in assets followed by the AIUDF with 93.26per cent, Congress by 85.75 per cent, BJP by 75.82 per centand AGP by 95 per cent.

Among the 34 re-elected MLAs whose assets wereanalysed, 10 are from the Congress, eight each from rulingalliance partners BJP and BPF and four each from AGP, also analliance partner of the government, and AIUDF.

The MLAs include eight ministers - three from the BPF,two each from the BJP and besides Sarma and Brahma, theyinclude BJPs Naba Kumar Doley and Pijush Hazarika, BPFsPramila Rani Brahma and Rihon Daimary and AGPs Keshab Mahantaand Phani Bhushan Choudhury.

The other MLAs whose assets have increased between thetwo assembly polls include BJP state unit President RanjeetKumar Dass, Padma Hazarika, Binanda Kumar Saikia, PrasantaPhukan and Bolin Chetia, BPFs Emmaneul Mosahary, ManeswarBrahma, Majendra Narzary, Kamalsingh Narzary and KamaliBasumatari and AGP's Utpal Dutta.

The other Congress MLAs include Sherman Ali Ahmed,Rakibul Hussain, Rekibuddin Ahmed, late Jamaluddin Ahmed,Sukur Ali, Md Ilias Ali, Rupjyoti Kurmi and Kamalakhya DeyPurkayastha and AIUDF's Hafiz Bashir Ahmed and Aminul Islam.

Congress Legislature Party Chief Debabrata Saikia andAIUDF's Abul Kalam Azad had shown a decrease in their assetswith the former's declining by 17 per cent and the latter's bytwo per cent.