Congress' Rapolu Ananda Bhaskar could be an odd man out in Parliament when he enters its portals soon. A post-graduate in psychology, Bhaskar could well be ranked as the poorest Member of Parliament not just in Andhra Pradesh but in the country as well when elected.
His "assets" add up to a mere Rs 7 lakh, which is in stark contrast to crores of rupees declared by five other candidates, including actor-politician K Chiranjeevi, who filed nomination for election to the Upper House of Parliament from the state on Monday.
Bhaskar, who started his career as a journalist and later joined the Congress, has 600 sq yards of ancestral land in his native Chennuru village valued at Rs 6 lakh and an old house worth Rs 50,000, as per the affidavit filed by him.
Besides, he has insurance bonds worth Rs 50,000. Bhaskar holds Rs 30,000 in cash and his wife another Rs 2,000. He has an old two-wheeler, registered in his spouse's name. Bhaskar has no liabilities, it said.
Chiranjeevi, former Union Minister Renuka Choudary, Palvai Govardhan Reddy (all Congress) and TDP candidates C M Ramesh and T Devender Goud also filed their nominations.
Ramesh, a close aide of Telugu Desam Party chief Chandrababu Naidu, declared assets totalling Rs 149 crore, making him the richest in the current lot of six nominees. He also holds 5.5kg gold.
Chiranjeevi's assets total about Rs 74 crore, with Rs 58 crore in his wife's name alone. He also has 14 kg of gold and diamonds.
Choudary declared immovable assets worth Rs 24.33 crore in her name and Rs 31.68 crore in her husband's name. The couple also has movable assets totalling Rs 11 crore.
Goud, a former state home minister, has assets worth Rs 35.5 crore in his wife's name and Rs 70.99 lakh in his name besides two kg of gold.
Reddy, another former Minister, declared assets worth Rs 1.72 crore in his name and another Rs 60 lakh in his wife's name, according to the affidavits filed with Returning Officer and Legislature Secretary S Raja Sadaram.
