Mamata Banerjee and Suvendu Adhikari: Clash of Assets and Legal Battles in Upcoming Elections
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Kolkata, April 9 (NationPress) As the Bhabanipur Assembly Constituency in South Kolkata gears up for a highly anticipated electoral showdown later this month, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee faces off against the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari. The affidavits submitted by both candidates alongside their nominations reveal that Adhikari significantly surpasses Banerjee in both asset holdings and the number of legal cases against him.
According to the affidavit she filed on Wednesday, the Chief Minister possesses immovable assets valued at Rs 15.37 lakh and does not own any movable property. Additionally, she has no liabilities or outstanding loans.
Conversely, LoP Adhikari's affidavit indicates that he has cash amounting to Rs 12,000, with immovable assets worth Rs 61.30 lakh and movable assets of Rs 24.57 lakh.
Over the past five years, Adhikari's total assets have decreased by Rs 34.74 lakh.
In terms of criminal cases, the Chief Minister remains unscathed, with no cases registered against her in any police station across the state. In stark contrast, Adhikari has seen a dramatic increase in the number of criminal charges against him over the past five years.
In 2021, during his candidacy for the Nandigram Assembly seat in East Midnapore district, Adhikari had no criminal charges against him. However, his latest affidavit reveals that there are now a total of 29 criminal cases filed against him in various police stations, encompassing both the state capital of Kolkata and other districts.
This year, Adhikari is contesting from both Bhabanipur and Nandigram. He previously served as a two-time MLA for Nandigram, first with the Trinamool Congress from 2016 to 2021 and then with the BJP from 2021 onward.
In the 2021 elections, he won from Nandigram, defeating Mamata Banerjee by a margin of just under 2,000 votes. Following this, she was elected from Bhabanipur in a by-election, securing her position as Chief Minister for a third consecutive term.
The first phase of polling for Nandigram is set for April 23, with Bhabanipur's voting scheduled for April 29. The election results will be announced on May 4.