The average assets of Goa MLAs, most of who are back in the election race, have grown by over 200 per cent says National Election Watch (NEW).

Among those whose net worth has shot up substantially are Congress MLAs Shyam Satardekar and Joaquim Alemao who are both in the mining industry in a big way.

In 2007 Goa’s MLAs were worth Rs 2.7 crore on an average. In five years their asset value touched Rs 8.10 crore. NEW analysed 35 MLAs who are back in the contest.

The report says Congress candidates on an average are worth Rs 8.44 crore, the BJP is halfway there with their asset value at Rs 4.21 crore. Given the high net worth of one of their contestants, the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party leads the race with their seven candidates’ average value pegged at Rs 33.5 crore.

The MGP’s nominee for Santa Cruz, Dinar Tarcar, is visibly the biggest multimillionaire in the race with assets worth Rs 211.76 crore. Tarcar is among the iron ore exporters named in official reports on illegal mining in Goa. Independent candidate Nirmal Sawant whose family is in the river transportation business follows Tarcar with assets worth Rs 36.30 crore. Sawant is being supported by the BJP-MGP combine. Joaquim Alemao is next with Rs 31.26 crore.

NEW which is part of Association for Democratic Reforms says all major parties contesting the election in Goa have given tickets to persons with criminal cases. Both Congress and BJP have nine candidates each with pending criminal cases, the NCP has two and the AITC has four.