Little liquidity despite healthy jump in wealth

Bathinda, January 18

Call it an impact of demonetisation or political strategy, but candidates of the SAD-BJP combine and the Congress witnessed a decrease in cash in hand despite their wealth increasing manifold.

Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh has Rs 1.75 lakh cash in hand, whereas he had Rs 5 lakh in 2012. His wife, Preneet Kaur, witnessed a decrease in cash from Rs 1.5 lakh in 2012 to Rs 95,000 this time. Bank deposits and value of their property, however, have witnessed a spurt. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has Rs 52,500 in cash this time, while during the 2012 elections, he had Rs 4.5 lakh.

Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal and his wife Harsimrat Kaur have Rs 25,000 and Rs 5,000, respectively. Compare this with the 2012 figures. Then, Sukhbir had Rs 5 lakh in cash and Harsimrat, Rs 2.5 lakh. In 2012, Badal’s moveable assets were worth Rs 1.21 crore and immovable assets worth Rs 5.5 crore. In five years, the value of his moveable assets has increased to Rs 5.4 crore and immoveable assets to Rs 9.03 crore. SAD’s Majitha nominee Bikram Singh Majithia, who has Rs 21.4 lakh of bank deposits, has Rs 15,000 in cash. And his wife, Ganieve Kaur, has Rs 12,500. In the previous elections, Majithia had Rs 2 lakh and her wife, Rs 25,000. BJP’s Anil Joshi held Rs 1.25 lakh in cash in 2012. Now, he has Rs 85,000. — Bharat Khanna