The assets of Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu, who leads the list of millionaires with assets of Rs 332 crore, have witnessed an increase by 103% since 2019.

Arunachal state elections may have been overshadowed by the Lok Sabha elections, but when it comes to candidates and their assets, one can say that Arunachal candidates are second to none.

A report published by the Association for Democratic Reforms and the Arunachal Pradesh Election Watch has revealed truly mind-boggling jumps in the assets of Arunachal MLAs. 

In their report, they analysed the self-sworn affidavits of 142 out of 143 candidates contesting in the Arunachal Pradesh 2024 Assembly Elections, and the money power is for all to see.

Take, for instance, Nyato Dukam of BJP, contesting from the Taliha assembly constituency. His assets have increased by a whopping 4190% since 2019. In 2019, his assets were Rs 11 lakh, which has stood at Rs 5 crore. His source of income? Salary and honorarium from the Arunachal Legislative Assembly. His wife’s income source? Salary.

Another instance of a whopping asset increase is of Rode Bui of BJP. His assets have increased by 706 per cent since 2019. In 2024, his assets were Rs 1 crore+, up from Rs 24 lakh in 2019. His source of income has been shown as honorarium, while the income of his spouse is salary. What does honorarium include, there has been no mention of it in the report.

He is fighting from the Dumporijo assembly constituency.

The assets of Mopi Mihu of BJP who is fighting from the Anini assembly constituency have increased by 863 per cent since 2019. His source of income is rents, agriculture and other sources. In 2019, his assets were Rs 2 crore which has now risen to Rs 21 crore.

The assets of Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, who leads the list of millionaires with assets of Rs 332 crore, have risen by 103% since 2019. Minister Chowna Mein’s assets have increased by 95 per cent since 2019. 

His source of income is Interest on Bank deposits, lease rents, agriculture, Salary and Allowance of Chief Minister Arunachal Pradesh while the source of income of his spouse is shown as business.

The close and alarming nexus between money power and muscle power has become so ingrained in our electoral system that the citizens are left hostage to the current situation, says a report by ADR. 

“The role of money and muscle power is evident from the fact that all major political parties in Arunachal Pradesh Assembly Elections 2024 have fielded 68% to 97% candidates who are crorepatis and 10% to 21 % candidates who have declared criminal cases against themselves.

“Money and muscle power hurt the principles of ‘free and fair elections’, ‘participatory democracy’ and ‘level playing field’. The present circumstances therefore demand an extensive deliberation by the voters so that sanctity of elections is not ridiculed by tenacious entry of tainted candidates and candidates with abnormal multiplication of assets,” it says.

The average of assets per candidate contesting in the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly Elections 2024 is Rs 18.13 crore. In the 2019 Arunachal Pradesh Assembly Elections, the average assets per candidate for 184 candidates was Rs. 9.86 crore.

The average asset growth for the 45 re-contesting MLAs, between the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly Elections of 2019 and 2024 is Rs 11.27 crore which amounts to a 60 per cent increase.

Among the major parties, 57 (97%) out of 59 candidates analysed from BJP, 16 (80%) out of 20 candidates analysed from National People’s Party, 13 (68%) out of 19 candidates analysed from INC and 9 (82%) out of 11 candidates analysed from Peoples Party of Arunachal have declared assets valued more than Rs 1 crore.

The report says the directions of the Supreme Court have had no effect on the political parties in the selection of candidates in the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly Elections 2024 as they have again followed their old practice of giving tickets to around 16% of candidates with criminal cases. All major parties contesting in the Arunachal Pradesh elections have given tickets from 10 % to 21 % of candidates who have declared criminal cases against themselves.

The Supreme Court in its directions dated February 13, 2020 had specifically instructed political parties to give reasons for such selection and why other individuals without criminal antecedents could not be selected as candidates. As per these mandatory guidelines, the reasons for such selection have to be with reference to the qualifications, achievements and merit of the candidate concerned.

Candidates with criminal cases: Out of the 142 candidates analysed in the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly elections 2024, 23(16%) candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves. In the 2019 Arunachal Pradesh Assembly Elections, out of 184 candidates analysed, 29(16%) had declared criminal cases against themselves.

Candidates with serious criminal cases: 20(14%) have declared serious criminal cases. In the 2019 Arunachal Pradesh Assembly Elections, 26 (14%) candidates had declared serious criminal cases against themselves.

Female candidates: 7(5%) female candidates are contesting in the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly Elections 2024. In the 2019 Arunachal Pradesh Assembly Elections, 11(6%) out of 184 candidates analysed were women.