Mizoram | State candidates’ assets jump nearly 800 per cent in 5 years: Report

AIZAWL | November 24, 2018 (PTI):

Mizo National Front (MNF) candidate Lal Rinliana Sailo, who switched over from the Congress a month ago, has declared that his total assets ballooned by a whopping 797 per cent in the past five years, according to a report by two civil society organisations on Thursday.

Analysing the assets of contesting candidates for the November 28 Mizoram Assembly election, the Mizoram Election Watch (MEW) and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) have found that Sailo has declared total assets of Rs. 3,22,85,100 in his affidavit for the forthcoming elections.

He had total assets of Rs. 36,01,219 as per the affidavit filed by him during the 2013 Assembly polls.

While the MNF leader has declared his source of income as "politician", that of his spouse is mentioned as "monthly salary from Government of Mizoram", the report said.

Mr Sailo, a former health minister, resigned from the state Assembly on October 3 this year and also stepped down as the member of the All India Congress Committee (AICC), General Secretary of the Mizoram Pradesh Congress Committee and quit the primary membership of the ruling party on the same day.

He later joined the MNF and is contesting the Assembly poll from Chalfilh constituency.

For the 40-member Mizoram Assembly, 32 candidates from 2013 elections are recontesting in 2018 and during this period, their assets have seen an average rise of 11.56 per cent at Rs. 3,57,61,158.90 as against Rs. 3,20,55,193.51 five years ago.

Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla's total assets have increased by 33.29 per cent to Rs. 12,20,19,747 in 2018 from Rs. 9,15,45,980 in 2013, the report said.

Mr Thanhawla said that his source of income is "salary and rental income", his wife's earnings are attributed to "licence from quarry at Sakawrtuichhun", it said.

The report found that another Congress leader R Vanlalvena's assets jumped by 133.30 per cent to Rs. 67,73,320 from Rs. 29,03,257 during the comparable five-year period.

As per the analysis, MNF candidate K Beichhua's income soared by 128.55 per cent to Rs. 3,13,77,608 compared to Rs. 1,37,29,000 five years ago.

Congress candidate Lal Thanzara's assets, too, rose by 103.79 per cent to Rs. 2,39,93,835 in 2018 from Rs. 1,17,73,796 in 2013, the report said.

The assets of four candidates, however, saw a decline in their total values between 2013 and 2018.

Ruling Congress candidates Ngurdingliana and Zodintluanga Ralte's assets value dipped by 66.17 per cent and 7.72 per cent, respectively, in the last five years.

Former Speaker Hiphei, who left the Congress and joined the BJP earlier this month, saw his assets falling by 52.32 per cent in the same period.

The value of MNF's K Sangthuama's total assets have declined by 51.96 per cent, the report highlighted.

The Congress has been in power in Mizoram since 2008 and is eyeing a third consecutive term. In the 2013 Assembly elections, the Congress won 34 seats, while the MNF had five and Mizoram People's Conference bagged one.

The Congress and the MNF are contesting in all the 40 constituencies this time, while the BJP is fighting in 39 seats with an aim to open its account for the first time in Mizoram.