Assets of 49 out of 58 MLAs have increased between 5% and 1,167%, while assets of remaining nine legislators have decreased between 4% and 37%. The average assets of the re-contesting MLAs fielded by various parties, including the independents, in 2017 was Rs 9.30 crore, which has increased to Rs 12.08 crore in 2022. 

Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Himachal Pradesh Election Watch have analysed the self-sworn affidavits of 58 re-contesting MLAs. The analysis revealed an average asset growth of Rs 2.77 crore between the assembly elections in 2017 and 2022. The average percentage growth in assets is 30%. 

Balbir Singh Verma of BJP, re-contesting from the Chopal constituency, has registered a maximum increase in assets. As per the affidavit, Verma’s assets have increased from Rs 90.73 crore in 2017 to Rs 128.45 crore in 2022 – a rise of Rs 37.71 crore. 

Assets of Anil Sharma of BJP, re-contesting from the Mandi constituency, have gone up by Rs 17.23 crore, from Rs 40.24 crore in 2017 to Rs 57.48 crore in 2022. 

Assets of Vikramaditya Singh of Congress, who is contesting again from the Shimla Rural constituency, have risen by Rs 17.06 crore, from Rs 84.32 crore in 2017 to Rs 101.39 crore in 2022. 

Similarly, assets of Ashish Butail of Congress – contesting from the Palampur assembly constituency – have increased by Rs 8.85 crore, from Rs 21.30 crore in 2017 to Rs 30.25 crore in 2022. 

BJP’s Rajesh Thakur, who will be again contesting from the Gagret assembly constituency, has registered a rise of Rs 7.17 crore in his assets – from Rs 20.83 crore in 2017 to Rs 28.01 crore in 2022