Raj Kumar Saini, Kapoor Singh richest candidates in Baroda by-poll

Bhartesh Singh Thakur 

Tribune News Service 

Chandigarh, October 16 

Loktanter Suraksha Party’s Raj Kumar Saini has emerged as the richest candidate in the Baroda by-poll, with total assets of Rs 15.28 crore. 

The 67-year-old is followed by Congress’ rebel candidate Kapoor Singh Narwal with assets worth Rs 15.17 crore. Narwal, 62, has filed the nomination papers as an Independent candidate. 

Friday was the last date of filing nominations and the election is slated for November 3. 

While Saini has movable assets of Rs 4.93 crore, he has immovable properties worth Rs 10.35 crore. He possesses 550gm gold jewellery besides a house worth Rs 5.75 crore in Panchkula. Saini also owns 20 acre agricultural land in Naraingarh worth Rs 3.80 crore. 

Also read: Baroda bypoll: BJP, Congress, INLD candidates file nomination papers

Narwal has immovable assets worth Rs 14.48 crore and movable assets of Rs 69.61 lakh. He owns 565gm gold jewellery and 9 acre agricultural land worth Rs 9.79 crore. 

BJP’s Yogeshwar Dutt, who is an Olympic medalist, has assets worth Rs 7.06 crore, while Congress’ official candidate Indu Raj possesses wealth worth Rs 1.90 crore.

Indian National Lok Dal’s Joginder Malik has assets of Rs 30.82 lakh. 

A farmer, Parveen Kumar, is the poorest with assets of just Rs 12,500. 

Among candidates with criminal cases, an Independent Tilak Raj, 62, has been facing a case of voluntarily causing hurt and criminal intimidation.

Another Independent candidate, Saroj Bala is facing a case of rioting, extortion and criminal conspiracy, while Saini is facing defamation proceedings.

The average age of candidates is 44. Independent Ram Phal, 71, is the oldest while Dikshit Khatri and Gulshan Kumar, aged 25, are the youngest candidates in the fray. Both Khatri and Gulshan are fighting as Independent candidates.

There are as many as seven candidates who are law graduates. An Independent candidate, Joginder Singh, 43, is the most qualified with a PhD degree along with LLB and is into teaching. 

Congress’ Indu Raj is just 10 2 while BJP’s Dutt and LSP’s Saini are both graduates.

INLD’s Malik has Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA) as the highest degree.