Jammu Kashmir: Richest and Poorest Candidates Emerge as Nominations Close for Bypolls

SRINAGAR: As nomination papers closed for the upcoming Budgam and Nagrota Assembly bypolls, the affidavits filed by the contestants have revealed a striking contrast in financial status — from crorepati businessmen to candidates declaring only modest savings. Among them, National Conference’s Aga Syed Mahmood Al-Mousavi has emerged as the wealthiest, while PDP’s Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi stands as the least affluent in the Budgam race.

In Budgam, Al-Mousavi, a businessman and former legislator, has declared a total net worth of Rs 14.31 crore, the highest among the contenders. His assets include Rs 28.02 lakh in movable property and Rs 15 crore in immovable holdings, comprising agricultural, commercial, and residential properties in Budgam. With liabilities of Rs 97.69 lakh, mainly loans against property, he has reported an annual income exceeding Rs 52 lakh from business, rentals, and pension.

At the other end of the wealth spectrum, PDP candidate Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi has declared only Rs 2.37 lakh in bank deposits. Mehdi, who holds an LLM degree, has no immovable property or liabilities, placing him as the least wealthy among Budgam candidates.

Mukhtar Ahmad Dar of the Jammu Kashmir Apni Party follows Al-Mousavi in declared assets, showing a total of Rs 9 crore against liabilities of Rs 6.59 crore, bringing his net worth to Rs 2.37 crore. Dar owns agricultural and non-agricultural land, with an annual income of Rs 13.55 lakh, and has one pending criminal case related to cheating.

Independent candidate Muntazir Mohi Ud Din, a former Apni Party member, has declared movable assets worth Rs 95,000 and immovable assets valued at Rs 1.88 crore, mostly inherited. With no liabilities, he lists pension as his only source of income and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Arts.

Independent candidate Nazir Ahmad Khan, a farmer and former DDC Budgam Chairman, has declared total assets worth Rs 1.35 crore. His immovable property is valued at Rs 1.12 crore, comprising agricultural land and a leased residential house in Srinagar. He has no liabilities and reports his agricultural and horticultural income as “not assessable” for tax purposes.

Parvez Ahmad Mir of the Republican Party of India (A), an IT professional and businessman, has declared a net worth of Rs 1.03 crore, with no liabilities. His assets include an inherited house worth Rs 1 crore and another owned by his spouse valued at Rs 1.20 crore. His annual income stands at Rs 5 lakh.

Among the lower end of Budgam’s financial disclosures, BJP’s Aga Syed Mohsin has shown a negative net worth of Rs 91,000, with movable assets worth Rs 1.55 lakh and liabilities of Rs 2.46 lakh. He earns Rs 4.27 lakh annually from farming and faces a pending criminal case involving assault on a public servant and criminal intimidation.

In Nagrota constituency, the BJP’s Devyani Rana — daughter of late BJP stalwart Devender Singh Rana — has declared movable assets worth Rs 91.23 lakh. Educated at the University of California, Los Angeles, she owns no land or immovable property and has no liabilities. Her annual income rose from Rs 5.22 lakh in 2020-21 to Rs 33.26 lakh in 2023-24, before settling at Rs 29.54 lakh this year. She also holds shares in Take One Television and Jamkash Trucking Pvt Ltd.

JKNPP-I candidate Harshdev Singh, a former Education Minister, has declared agricultural land worth Rs 44 lakh and movable assets worth Rs 11.71 lakh, while his spouse, Manju Singh, owns larger assets — Rs 62.73 lakh movable and Rs 98 lakh immovable. Singh, a law graduate with a course from Harvard University, has described three pending FIRs against him as “politically motivated.”

National Conference’s Shamim Begum, aged 37 and a postgraduate in Urdu, has declared only Rs 1.03 lakh cash in hand and 27 tolas of gold valued at Rs 35 lakh, with no land or bank deposits. Her annual income is Rs 1.80 lakh, while her husband, a government employee, earns Rs 7.68 lakh.

Independent Anil Sharma, a former Sarpanch and BJP rebel, has declared movable assets worth Rs 28.55 lakh and immovable property valued at Rs 3.21 crore, including shops and residential houses in Jindrah, Roop Nagar, and Tope Sherkhanian. His spouse owns movable assets worth Rs 38.22 lakh, including gold worth Rs 37.18 lakh.

The bypolls for Budgam and Nagrota are scheduled for November 11, with counting on November 14. The asset declarations have thrown up a sharp contrast — from Al-Mousavi’s crores in real estate to Mehdi’s modest savings — underscoring the wide economic divide among those seeking a place in the Jammu Kashmir Assembly.