Many Gujrati netas are like Sonia

There are many influential leaders in Gujarat who possess assets worth lakhs or even crores, but do not own a car. Many of these leaders are contesting the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls

Like Sonia Gandhi, who is the Congress candidate from the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituency, the politicians from Gujarat have declared in their affidavits (required with their nomination papers) that they have assets worth lakhs, or even crores, but no car. 

LK Advani: The BJP candidate from the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency had declared in his affidavit for the Lok Sabha elections of 2004 that he and his wife had assets worth Rs1,30,32,443 in their name and a loan liability of Rs5.54 lakh.  In the space meant for information about vehicles owned by the candidate, Advani wrote NIL in the 2004 affidavit. Advani is to file with his nomination paper an affidavit about his current financial status, on April 8.

Shankarsinh Vaghela: Union minister of textiles in the outgoing UPA government who is the Congress candidate from the Panchmahals Lok Sabha seat, has assets worth Rs1.5 crore in his and his wife’s name but he, too, has stated that he doesn’t own a car.

Mallika Sarabhai: She has total moveable, and immoveable assets worth of Rs.5,50,92,800, in her name and in her daughter’s name, but she doesn’t own a car.

Reporting: Kapil Dave, Ahmedabad; Devanshi Joshi, Vadodara; Meheboob Khureshi Bhavnagar; & Rishi Banerji, Surat