The role of “money power” is no different in Northeastern Himalayan state of Tripura, which is going to state assembly polls on February 16.
The ruling BJP and opposition Congress, CPIM, Indigenous Peoples of Front of Tripura(IPFT), Tipra Motha Party(TMP) and other independents are fighting pitched battles to woo the voters of 60 state assembly constituencies in Tripura.
The main issues in Tripura are lack of connectivity, roads and bridges and sources for employment for the youth and livelihoods and nutrition and health facilities for the tribals. 
Like elsewhere in India, the role of “money and muscle power” is also more than evident in Tripura as well here the sitting 43 MLAs are re-contesting elections.
The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Tripura Election Watch(TEW), the civil society groups, who are trying hard to bring about electoral reforms in India, have released its report on the assets of recontesting candidates.
ADR and TEW have analysed the self-sworn affidavits of 43 re-contesting MLAs in the Tripura Assembly Election 2023.
Out of the 43 re-contesting MLAs, assets of 41 MLAs (95%) have increased ranging from 4% to 4890% and assets of 2 MLAs (5%) have decreased ranging from -1% to -99%.
The average assets of these 43 re-contesting MLAs fielded by various parties including independents in 2018 was Rs 1.48 Crores.
In 2023, the average assets these 43 re-contesting MLAs in jumped to Rs 2.42 Crores- a whopping growth of Rs 94.58 Lakhs which comes to 64%.
Among the top five Rich candidates, three are from the BJP.
Dr. Dilip Kumar Das of BJP from Barjala (SC) constituency has declared maximum increase in assets with an increase of Rs 6.47 Crores i.e from Rs 1.87 Crores in 2018 to Rs. 8.35 Crores in 2023.
Then comes Biswa Bandhu Sen of BJP from Dharmanagar constituency. He has increased his assets by Rs 5.32 Crores, from Rs 4.40 Crores in 2018 to Rs 9.73 Crores in 2023.
Third is Jishnu Dev Varma of BJP from Charilam (ST) constituency. He has claimed a raise of Rs 4.51 Crores- from Rs 11.07 Crores in 2018 to Rs 15.58 Crores in 2023.
The see table:
S.No. | Name | Source of Income (Self) | Source of Income (Spouse) | Party in Tripura 2023 | Party in Tripura 2018 | Constituency In Tripura 2023 | Constituency In Tripura 2018 | Assets in Tripura 2023 (Rs.) | Assets in Tripura 2018 (Rs.) | Assets Increase (Rs.) | % Increase in Assets | Total Annual Income as per last return (Rs.) |
1. | Dr. Dilip Kumar Das | Private Practice, Pension & Allowance | Pensioner | BJP | BJP | Barjala (SC) | Barjala | 8,35,12,746 | 1,87,25,699 | 6,47,87,047 | 346% | 32,24,516 |
2. | Biswa Bandhu Sen | Rental Income and Hotel Business | Pension From Govt. of Tripura | BJP | BJP | Dharmanagar | Dharmanagar | 9,73,17,521 | 4,40,94,405 | 5,32,23,116 | 121% | 26,04,270 |
3. | Jishnu Dev Varma | Business & House Rent | House Rent | BJP | BJP | Charilam (ST) | Charilam | 15,58,60,395 | 11,07,38,073 | 4,51,22,322 | 41% | 10,39,000 |
4. | Ratan Chakraborty | Allowances | Pension | BJP | BJP | Khayerpur | Khayerpur | 3,84,19,718 | 93,86,722 | 2,90,32,996 | 309% | 4,96,500 |
5. | Binay Bhushan Das | Salary from Member of Legislative Assembly | Business | BJP | BJP | Panisagar | Panisagar | 2,70,07,729 | 60,21,793 | 2,09,85,936 | 348% | 10,13,130 |
The party-wise table:
S.No. | Party in 2023 | Total Number of MLAs | Average Assets in Tripura 2023 (in Rs) | Average Assets in Tripura 2018 (in Rs) | Average Asset Increase (in Rs) | Average |
1. | BJP | 27 | 3,00,48,629 | 1,78,72,334 | 1,21,76,295 | 68.13% |
2. | CPI(M) | 7 | 97,13,964 | 52,80,118 | 44,33,846 | 83.97% |
3. | INC | 3 | 3,12,79,783 | 2,98,09,872 | 14,69,911 | 4.93% |
4. | Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura | 3 | 44,26,185 | 3,16,490 | 41,09,695 | 1298.52% |
5. | Tipra Motha Party | 2 | 77,33,907 | 17,48,815 | 59,85,092 | 342.24% |
6. | Independent | 1 | 4,20,58,345 | 2,38,65,478 | 1,81,92,867 | 76.23% |
GRAND TOTAL | 43 | 2,42,78,018.16 | 1,48,19,907.81 | 94,58,110.34 | 64% | |
Table: Average asset increase of re-contesting MLAs – party wise
The BJP and Congress and Left have put in their resources in the poll arena to woo the voters.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had addressed public meeting in Tripura and played up the work done by the double engine government of BJP in Tripura for the last five years.
The regional parties are also fanning out their poll plank, saying that they are true representatives of their aspirations and deserve chance this time.
