MARGAO
The Aam aadmi’s common refrain during elections is that the entire democratic process is an expensive affair and only meant for the rich and the wealthy, i.e. the lakhpatis and crorepatis.
History has been replete with instances of how the rich and the powerful made their way to the Legislative Assembly through sheer money power. Election 2017 for the Goa Legislative Assembly isn’t going to be any different, as crorepatis and lakhpatis all line up to the office of the Returning Officers to either make it to the august House for the first time or seek re-election.
The first three days of the process of filing nomination papers saw only a few candidates, around five candidates to be precise, turning up to file their papers in the politically dominant Salcete taluka, where as many as eight Assembly constituencies are at stake. The five candidates, including two chief ministerial candidates, a former chief minister and a former MLA, however, have given enough indications of the state of things to come as the offices of the Returning Officers are expected to be flooded with candidates during the next three days.
Statistics compiled by The Goan of these five candidates reveal that they are all crorepatis in their own right. Their bank balances run into lakhs of rupees, and along with their spouses and children qualify themselves for the status as the crorepatis.
Take the case of former chief minister, Digambar Kamat and his wife Asha. A glance at his affidavit filed before the Returning Officer shows his movable assets to Rs 4.82 crore. The value of his immovable property is pegged at Rs 4.98 crore. Together, the total assets of the husband-wife duo work out Rs 10.74 crore.
Closely following Digambar is BJP’s Fatorda candidate Damu Naik. Damu’s total assets, including the assets of his spouse and dependents, has been pegged at Rs 3.06 crore, which includes movable assets Rs 66.31 lakh and Rs 2.40 crore immovable assets Bureaucrat-turned-politician and Aam Aadmi Party Cuncolim candidate, Elvis Gomes has shown his total assets as Rs 1.83 crore, including the assets of his wife and dependents. His movable assets are pegged at Rs 1.30 crore.
Aam Aadmi Party’s Margao candidate Santosh Raiturkar has put his movable assets to Rs 42.91 lakh, that includes his bank balances and fixed deposits. His immovable assets have been pegged at Rs 3 crore, the value of the joint family house.
With three days left for the filing of nomination papers, the offices of the Returning Officers are bracing up to welcome the candidates and their affidavits reflecting their total assets. A Returning Officer informed that the affidavits filed by the candidates along with the nomination papers are uploaded on the Election Commission website and are also displayed on the notice board outside the office to facilitate the voters to have a glance at the assets of their prospective and future elected representatives.
