Assam polls: 39% candidates crorepatis; BJP at 88%, Congress at 61%: ADR
Congress’ Rahul Roy leads richest list at Rs 261 crore; AIUDF’s Ajmal next with Rs 226 crore declared assets
AIUDF chief Maulana Badruddin Ajmal (left) and Congress candidate Rahul Roy (right)
Guwahati, March 31: Wealth continues to cast a long shadow over Assam’s electoral landscape, with nearly 4 in 10 candidates contesting the 2026 Assembly elections declaring assets worth over Rs 1 crore, according to an analysis by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).
Based on self-sworn affidavits of all 722 candidates, 285 contestants, or 39%, fall in the crorepati category, the report, issued on Tuesday, revealed.
This marks a sharp rise from the 2021 Assembly elections, when 28% of candidates had declared assets above Rs 1 crore, underscoring the growing influence of money power in the state’s electoral politics.
Beyond the headline numbers, the financial profile of candidates points to a steady expansion of wealth. The average assets per candidate in 2026 stand at Rs 3.25 crore, up from Rs 2.10 crore in 2021.
Collectively, the 722 candidates have declared total assets amounting to Rs 2,352 crore.
A closer look at the distribution of wealth shows a layered financial spectrum among contestants. Around 13% of candidates have declared assets exceeding Rs 5 crore, while 15% fall in the Rs 2 crore to Rs 5 crore bracket.
Another 24% have assets between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 2 crore, and 23% between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 50 lakh.
At the lower end, 25% of candidates have declared assets below Rs 10 lakh, reflecting stark disparities within the electoral field.
The influence of wealth is particularly evident across major political parties. Among BJP candidates, 79 out of 90, or 88 per cent, are crorepatis.
The Congress follows with 60 out of 99 candidates, or 61 per cent, while 16 out of 30 AIUDF candidates, or 53 per cent, have declared assets above Rs 1 crore.
The top three wealthiest candidates
At the top of the wealth ladder, the ADR report identifies three candidates with exceptionally high declared assets.
Congress candidate Rahul Roy from Hailakandi constituency leads with assets worth over Rs 261 crore. He is followed by AIUDF chief Maulana Badruddin Ajmal, contesting from Binnakandi, who has declared assets exceeding Rs 226 crore.
In third place is Congress candidate Jayanta Khaund from Rongonadi, with assets of over Rs 67 crore.
The data also highlights the sharp contrast at the lower end of the spectrum. Two candidates have declared zero assets, while several others reported assets worth only a few hundred or thousand rupees, illustrating the wide economic gap among those in the fray.
The ADR analysis underlines a persistent trend in Assam’s electoral politics, where financial muscle continues to play a decisive role in candidate selection across party lines.
With a significant proportion of candidates possessing substantial wealth, the findings once again bring into focus concerns over the growing nexus between money power and democratic representation.