Rajasthan RS polls: BJP's Poonia, Alka Gurjar are crorepatis with no car
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates Satish Poonia and Alka Singh Gurjar, nominated for the Rajya Sabha seats from Rajasthan, have declared combined family assets exceeding ₹14 crore in their nomination affidavits — yet neither candidate personally owns a car, according to disclosures filed ahead of the polls.
What the Affidavits Reveal
According to nomination affidavits, former Rajasthan BJP president Satish Poonia and his wife together hold movable and immovable assets worth nearly ₹6.45 crore, against outstanding liabilities of approximately ₹1.14 crore. Former MLA Alka Singh Gurjar and her husband, senior BJP leader and former minister Nathu Singh Gurjar, declared combined assets of nearly ₹7.76 crore with liabilities exceeding ₹47 lakh.
The Car Paradox
A detail that stands out from the filings: despite their combined wealth, neither Poonia nor Alka Gurjar owns a vehicle in their own name. Satish Poonia's sole registered vehicle is a scooter; it is his wife who holds a car in her name. Alka Gurjar's affidavit similarly lists no car under her personal name.
Breakdown of Key Assets
Satish Poonia has declared gold jewellery worth approximately ₹3 lakh, while his wife owns gold and silver ornaments valued at nearly ₹10 lakh. The family holds agricultural land in Churu district, plots in Sadulpur, Jalsu, and Jaipur, and residential property in Rajgarh and Jaipur.
Alka Singh Gurjar has declared gold and diamond jewellery valued at around ₹19 lakh, while her husband Nathu Singh Gurjar holds jewellery worth nearly ₹2 lakh. The family owns 13 bighas of agricultural land and prime real estate, including plots in Jaipur's Sumel area. Her declared assets make her the wealthier of the two BJP nominees.
Political Profiles of the Two Candidates
Satish Poonia is a former president of the Rajasthan BJP and a prominent organisational figure in the party. Alka Singh Gurjar is a veteran BJP leader with deep roots in the party's Rajasthan unit; her husband Nathu Singh Gurjar has served as both a minister and a senior party functionary. Their nomination for the Rajya Sabha reflects the party's organisational calculus ahead of the upper house elections.
What This Signals
The affidavit disclosures offer a window into the financial standing of two leaders poised to enter Parliament through the Rajya Sabha route. This comes amid heightened scrutiny of candidate wealth declarations in state-level RS polls, where nomination affidavits have increasingly become a focal point for political analysis and public accountability.