There are 244 crorepatis out of 1,961 candidates contesting the West Bengal assembly elections and the ruling Trinamool Congress is leading the list at 114, a survey said.

“Out of 1,961 candidates contesting this year’s elections, 244 candidates are crorepatis,” an analysis conducted by the West Bengal Election Watch and Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) said.

Among the 1,961 candidates, 81 out of the 245 sitting MLAs are re-contesting in this year’s elections and are crorepatis, the analysis said.

“The growth is about 112%. In 2011, the average assets of those 245 MLAs were Rs 60.11 lakh, while it rose to Rs 1.27 crore in 2016,” the analysis said.

Among the sitting MLAs, whose assets recorded the highest growth, is state minister for disaster management Javeb Khan.

“The growth of the Kasba MLA’s asset was around 598%. In 2011, his total assets were valued at Rs 2.16 crore and it rose to Rs 17.29 crore in 2016,” the survey read.

Khan was followed by fellow party MLA, Saumen Kumar Mahapatra and Amit Mitra, whose assets rose by 344% and 66% respectively, it said.

While Mahapatra, the state water investigation and development minister, had assets worth Rs 1.76 crore in 2011, it increased to Rs 7.83 crore in 2016.