Meghalaya Assembly elections 2018: Whopping 5174% increase in average assets of MLA since 2013

Photo: Facebook/Hillstatepeople Democraticparty

Diosstarness Jyndiang, who is contesting the Meghalaya assembly elections has seen a whopping 5174 per cent increase in his assets since the 2013 assembly polls. In 2013, the Hill State People's Democratic Party (HSPDP) MLA  had declared assets worth Rs forty thousand while  in his affidavit for this year, he stated that he has assets worth Rs 21 lakh. Jyndiang is among the 57 MLAs who contested in 2013 and are trying fighting again in the Meghalaya assembly polls in 2018. 

Independent MLA Michael T Sangma also saw 1160 per cent rise in his assets. In 2013, he had assets worth Rs 6 lakh and now, he is worth Rs 81 lakh. Congress MLA Mazel Ampareen Lyngdoh also saw an increase of 1213 per cent in his assets rising from Rs 21 lakh in 2013 to Rs 2 crore in 2018.

As per a report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), there has been a growth of Rs. 3.41 crore or by 44 per cent in the average assets of MLAs re-contesting the Meghalaya Assembly elections in 2018. In 2013, the average assets of the ones who recontested were Rs 7.07 crores while in 2018, the average assets of MLAs who are recontesting is Rs 11.19 crores.

Of the 57 leaders who are recontesting in 2018, Indian National Congress (INC) has the biggest share with 22 MLAs. Ten of National People's Party MLAs who tried their luck in 2013 are fighting the elections again in 2018. Seven United Democratic Party MLAs are recontesting, six independents, four MLAs from Hill State People's Democratic Party (HSPDP), four from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), two from Peoples Democratic Front and two from Meghalaya Nationalist Congress Party are recontesting in 2018.