Out of 40 candidates in the fray for the 20 May second phase Lok Sabha polls in Odisha, 13 (33 per cent) candidates are millionaires with assets over Rs one crore, said the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Odisha Election Watch (OEW) in a report.

ADR and OEW analysed the criminal, financial and other background details of 40 candidates contesting the LS polls from five seats on 13 May.

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At least four out of the five candidates of BJD, BJP and Congress fighting the 2nd phase of Lok Sabha polls in Odisha are millionaires. Thus the percentage of crorepati candidates in the fray for the major parties comes to 80 per cent.

The average assets of BJP candidates are more than 16 crores followed by BJD (Rs 4.58 crore) and Congress (2.17 crore). On the other hand, the average assets of parties including the major parties (BJD, BJP and Congress) stand at Rs 3.57 crore. Similarly, the assets of seven independent candidates in the fray are calculated at Rs 59.57 lakh, according to the poll affidavits submitted by the contestants.

Incumbent BJP MP Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo, seeking re-nomination from Bolangir seat, tops the list of millionaire candidates with total assets valued at Rs 67.30 crore. She is followed by former Hockey Olympian Dilip Kumar Tirkey of BJD Rs 12.26 crore and sitting BJP MP Jual Oram (Rs 8.63 crore).

Devika Sika contesting from Bargarh seat of National Apni Party heads the list of candidates with the lowest asset. Sika, in the self-sworn affidavit, has shown her assets at lowly Rs 10,222.

BJD’s Tirkey, crossing swords with BJP MP Oram from Sundargarh seat, has highest liabilities among the candidates at 1.58 crore.

Of the 40 candidates in the fray, Oram of BJP has the highest income (Rs 51.42 lakh) in his income tax return for the 2022-23 fiscal. His income includes his salary as MP and monetary returns from agriculture and house rent and income of his spouse.