Suchak Patel 
The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) plays a crucial role in each election by analysing candidates’ financial status, criminal backgrounds and educational qualifications. For example, ADR’s analysis of affidavits filed ahead of the 2024 Maharashtra elections reveals that 60% of outgoing MLAs have declared criminal cases against themselves, while 93% are crorepatis.
However, some key details in candidate affidavits often go overlooked in public discourse. This article aims to spotlight these lesser-known insights.
Eknath Shinde and Hemant Soren share more in common than just their roles as sitting chief ministers in poll-bound states – both are also firearm owners, as disclosed in their Election Commission affidavits. Soren, who is contesting from Barhait, owns a rifle valued at Rs 55,000, while Kopri-Pachpakhadi candidate Shinde possesses both a revolver worth over Rs 2.5 lakh and a pistol valued at Rs 2.25 lakh.
This is interesting once you consider the fact that Soren oversees the home department in Jharkhand and Shinde has served in a similar capacity. Here, we have leaders responsible for public security owning personal weapons.
Champai Soren, former Jharkhand chief minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader, is now contesting the upcoming elections from Saraikela as a BJP candidate. According to his affidavit filed with the Election Commission, Soren owns three firearms – a pistol, a rifle and an unspecified gun – with a combined value of Rs 2.78 lakh. His assets also include three vehicles, including a vintage 1996 Mahindra jeep.
The affidavit lists two dependents: his son Aakash Soren and daughter Bale Soren. Although Aakash is considered a dependent, he possesses movable assets worth Rs 78 lakh.
Sita Soren (whose official name is Sita Murmu) and Basant Soren, the sister-in-law and the brother of Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren respectively, are contesting in the upcoming elections from opposing parties, yet share a notable commonality: both own multiple firearms.
Sita Soren, who recently switched allegiance from the JMM to the BJP and is contesting from Jamtara, holds an extensive collection of weaponry – an unspecified gun, a rifle and two pistols, together valued at Rs 1.15 lakh. Her brother-in-law Basant, representing the JMM from Dumka and contesting the upcoming elections from that seat, owns a pistol and an unspecified gun, together worth Rs 1.52 lakh.
Sita Soren’s latest income tax return indicates an annual income of Rs 15 lakh – yet she purchased a Skoda car in 2022 valued at Rs 42 lakh.
Basant Soren’s financial growth over the past five years is striking. His income surged from Rs 10.26 lakh in 2019-20 to an impressive Rs 1.9 crore, even as the COVID-19 pandemic took an economic toll on many people during this period. Additionally, Basant’s assets reflect his interests, with his gym equipment alone valued at nearly Rs 8.92 lakh.
Babulal Marandi, a former chief minister of Jharkhand who is the BJP candidate from Dhanwar, has filed an income tax return declaring an annual income of Rs 27 lakh. However, his declared assets also include a Volvo car valued at Rs 51 lakh.
Prithviraj Chavan, a former chief minister of Maharashtra and the Congress candidate for Karad South, reported an income of Rs 45.03 lakh in 2019-20, which has decreased to Rs 39.35 lakh in 2024-25. His wife’s income, however, increased from Rs 5.22 lakh to Rs 27.92 lakh during the same period.
Aaditya Thackeray, grandson of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, is contesting from Worli on behalf of the party’s Uddhav Thackeray faction. Despite his prominent political lineage and having previously served as a cabinet minister in Maharashtra, he owns weapons valued at Rs 7.8 lakh.
Additionally, though unmarried, he possesses a pair of bangles worth Rs 4.7 lakh. Thackeray also owns a 2013 BMW, purchased in 2019, with a current value of just Rs 4.2 lakh as per his affidavit.
Ajoy Kumar, a former doctor and IPS officer who transitioned into politics, is now vying for the Jamshedpur East seat on a Congress ticket.
Among his assets, Kumar lists a revolver valued at Rs 50,000 and a collection of high-end motorcycles, including a Harley-Davidson worth Rs 5.35 lakh and two Royal Enfield models – a Classic and an Interceptor. Additionally, Kumar’s financial reach is evident, with bank accounts spread across four cities: Noida, Hyderabad, Pune and Delhi.
Devendra Fadnavis, currently Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister and a former chief minister of that state, has disclosed a diverse portfolio of assets in his latest affidavit. His financial holdings include shares in 49 companies, including Jio Finance, ITC and Axis Bank, with a total worth of Rs 4.3 crore. In addition to these investments, Fadnavis also has stakes in seven mutual funds.
According to his latest income tax return filing, Fadnavis declared an annual income of Rs 38 lakh, while his spouse reported an income of Rs 79 lakh. Neither owns a vehicle.
Gulabrao Patil, Maharashtra’s water supply and sanitation minister and a Shiv Sena leader of the Shinde faction contesting from Jalgaon Rural, has declared ownership of a “Parvana” revolver valued at Rs 58,233. His asset filings also reveal a significant rise in his income, which soared from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 1.73 crore over the past five years.
Tanaji Jaywant Sawant, a Shinde Shiv Sena leader contesting from Paranda who is currently serving as Maharashtra’s public health and family welfare minister, owns a .32 revolver worth Rs 50,000.
Dilip Kondiba Khedkar, father of former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar, is running as an independent candidate from the Shevgaon constituency in Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar district.
In his Lok Sabha election affidavit filed in April, Khedkar listed Manorama Khedkar as his wife along with her income and assets, which brought their combined assets to over Rs 40 crore. However, in his latest affidavit for the state assembly elections, he omits her name, income and asset details, marking the spouse section as “lagu nahi” (not applicable).
When discussing Jharkhand and Maharashtra politics, one cannot overlook Nishikant Dubey, the Lok Sabha MP from Godda. Although he is not in the assembly race, Dubey recently sparked social media interest after a photo of him driving a Porsche circulated online.
Curiously, Dubey’s 2024 Lok Sabha affidavit states he does not own a vehicle – not even a bike or a scooter – and neither does his spouse. If he has indeed acquired this Porsche, congratulations would be in order for the MP!