CHANDIGARH, Punjab—Wealth of prominent Lok Sabha candidates in Punjab cutting across political affiliations may have grown manifold since last elections, but it is their spouses who enjoy maximum share in their combined fortunes.
Leading the pack is SAD candidate Harsimrat Kaur, who is seeking re-election from the Bathinda Lok Sabha seat. In the affidavit filed along with her nomination, Harsimrat, wife of Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal, has declared that they have total assets of Rs 108.14 crore.
Left with her own assets of just Rs 12.02 cr, 47-year-old Harsimrat’s wealth is just 11 per cent of their total fortune. Sukhbir, whose assets grew by whopping 80 per cent since the Lok Sabha polls in 2009, stands at Rs 96.12 crore. Though the daughter-in-law of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Badal does not have any vehicle in her name, Sukhbir has two tractors valued at Rs 5.50 lakh.
While Kaur does not have any immovable assets in her name, her husband possesses several properties including farm land, and commercial and residential buildings worth Rs 61.44 crore at various places like Chandigarh, Muktsar (Punjab) Sirsa (Haryana) and Sri Ganganagar (Rajasthan).
Among other assets, Sukhbir also owns furniture worth Rs 1.66 crore and investments in bonds and debentures valued at Rs 29.18 crore.
Second in the list is Union minister and Congress nominee Preneet Kaur, who is seeking re-election from Patiala. She has declared her assets worth Rs 3.80 crore as against that of her husband and former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh’s Rs 82.53 crore. 69-year-old Preneet is pitted against her one-time associate Deepinder Dhillon of SAD and AAP candidate Dharamvir Gandhi.
Amarinder, who is also contesting the polls on a Congress ticket from Amritsar against BJP nominee Arun Jaitley, has declared his assets worth Rs 82.53 crore. The erstwhile Maharaja of Patiala owns inherited palatial Moti Bagh palace spread over 160 bighas in Patiala worth Rs 71.30 crore, as per the affidavit filed with his nomination.
Among immovable properties, former Punjab Congress President also owns a flat in Dubai ‘Goldcreet Views Jit’ in UAE which commands market price of Rs 96 lakh. Bought in 2008, the value of this flat was declared at Rs 80 lakh during the last polls. He owns gold jewelry with precious stones worth Rs 70 lakh.
