Among repeat candidates in Bihar polls, financial assets grow 24.4%

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• The average assets of these 160 candidates in 2015.
• This is equivalent to the on-road price of five top-of-the-line Mercedes Benz C-Class cars (in Delhi).
• In 2010, these candidates' average assets were Rs 86 lakh.
• This means that in five years, their financial worth has grown by 24.4%.
• About 10% of these candidates were women.

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• Average assets among women candidates who re-contested in 2015.
• For this amount, they can buy two luxury villas in upmarket Gurgaon.
• Financial assets of Bihar's women candidates increased by nearly 30% in five years.
• On the other hand, the male candidates' average financial worth was just Rs 2.2 crore.
• It is popularly assumed that these increasing assets are thanks to corruption. But often, it is simple appreciation of property and gold.

• The percentage increase in assets among the 134 candidates who contested both the 2005 and 2010 elections.
• The average assets in 2005 were Rs 32 lakh, which increased to Rs 70 lakh in the 2010 election.
• Clearly, the 2015 election was not an aberration. Past data reveals a similar pattern.

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• The average assets among candidates from Lalu Prasad's Rashtriya Janata Dal who were re-contesting in 2015.
• This is almost equal to the salary drawn by Bihar's 243 legislators every month, approximately Rs 4 crore.
• RJD politicians are generally identified with corruption, rather than efficient administration.
• The percentage increase among RJD candidates in the last five years is 15%.
• Even adjusting for factors such as inflation, these are big numbers.

• The percentage by which finances of Janata Dal (United) candidates increased in five years - the highest among the major stakeholders in this election.
• They are closely followed by Bharatiya Janata Party candidates, whose finances improved by 23.9%.
• Much of Bihar's stellar economic growth looks pale in comparison with the politicians' own economic growth.

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• The average assets among the candidates in Patna district, the most developed region in the state.
• In comparison, the per capita income in Patna is abysmally low - Rs 63,063 (just over Rs 5,000 per month).
• Munger and Begusarai are the second and third-most developed regions in the state, where per capita income stands at Rs 22,051 and Rs 17,587 respectively.
• Candidates in both these regions have average assets worth Rs 1.6 crore.

(With inputs from Mohan Ramnath)