Wide Income Disparity Among Bihar Election Candidates
Bihar's 2025 Assembly candidates have displayed significant income inequality, dominated by land and property assets, particularly among larger political parties. The declared wealth reveals a wide gap between the richest and the less affluent contenders.
Wealth Distribution Overview
About 60% of the candidates reported assets below ₹1 crore. Only a small fraction—8%—declared income exceeding ₹10 crore. The five wealthiest candidates together account for an estimated ₹1,025 crore in total assets, underscoring the concentration of wealth among a few.
Extremes in Candidate Wealth
- Vikassheel Insaan Party’s Ran Kaushal Pratap Singh reported the highest assets at ₹368 crore.
- Nitish Kumar of Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party followed with ₹250 crore.
- At the opposite end, roughly one-third declared less than ₹20 lakh in total assets.
Cases of Minimal Assets
Several candidates reported owning little to no property or cash reserves. Suresh Rajvanshi of Moolniwasi Samaj Party disclosed a bank balance of ₹1,100. Independents Pankaj Kumar Ram and Rajmangal Prasad each reported total holdings of ₹2,000, consisting solely of cash or deposits without any immovable assets.
"Affidavits offer a detailed snapshot of declared wealth," said political consultant and analyst Utsav Dwivedi.
Author’s Summary
The 2025 Bihar Assembly elections highlight a sharp wealth imbalance among candidates, with a small elite controlling vast sums while most possess modest or negligible assets.