West Bengal Phase 1 Candidates’ Asset Declarations Show Significant Changes Since 2021

An analysis of affidavits filed by candidates in the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections shows a sharp divergence in declared wealth changes since the 2021 polls, with several leaders reporting significant asset growth while some, including senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, have declared a decline.

According to the data compiled from candidate disclosures, multiple incumbent and repeat contestants across parties have reported substantial increases in their assets over the five-year period. Among the most notable cases is Trinamool Congress leader Jakir Hossain, whose declared wealth reportedly doubled from around ₹67 crore in 2021 to over ₹133 crore in the latest filings, making him one of the richest candidates in the fray.

Other candidates have also shown steep upward trends. BJP’s Sudip Kumar Mukherjee reportedly registered an extraordinary rise in assets, while several Trinamool Congress leaders, including Krishna Kalyani and Manas Ranjan Bhunia, have more than doubled their declared wealth compared to the previous election cycle. Analysts note that such increases are not uncommon in affidavits, as they reflect a combination of property revaluation, business income, investments, and revised declarations over time.

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In contrast, BJP leader and Leader of Opposition in the outgoing West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari has reported a decline in declared assets in his latest affidavit compared to 2021. While his income figures show a rise over the same period, his overall asset valuation reflects a downward shift, making him one of the few prominent candidates in the sample to record such a trend.

The broader dataset indicates that wealth disparities among candidates remain significant in the state’s electoral landscape. Nearly one-fifth of the 1,478 candidates contesting the phase have declared assets exceeding ₹1 crore, while the wealthiest individuals hold assets running into hundreds of crores. At the other end of the spectrum, a few candidates have declared assets as low as ₹500, highlighting extreme variation in financial profiles across the contesting field.

Election analysts caution that affidavit-based asset comparisons should be interpreted carefully, as changes may reflect not only financial gains or losses but also updated valuation methods, inheritance, liabilities, or restructuring of holdings. Nevertheless, the disclosures continue to draw attention as voters and observers examine the economic profiles of candidates alongside their political records in a high-stakes electoral contest.

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