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Are the wealthiest candidates in Bihar elections tipping the scale or does money not guarantee victory? From Rs 373 crore to zero declared assets, discover how wealth shapes the 2025 electoral contest and candidate profiles.
About 42 percent of candidates are crorepatis, a sharp rise from 33 percent in 2020.
New Delhi: The first phase of Bihar Assembly elections in 2025 has revealed striking contrasts in candidates’ wealth. Ran Kaushal Pratap Singh, also known as Guddu Singh, a builder contesting from Lauriya in West Champaran as a Vikassheel Insaan Party candidate, tops the list with assets worth Rs 373 crore. He is contesting in the second phase of the elections on November 11.
Singh’s affidavit details Rs 352 crore in non-agricultural assets, Rs 5.51 crore in shares and securities, and Rs 2.58 crore in agricultural land. His wife has declared Rs 131 crore in assets along with investments of Rs 6.59 crore. The family possesses seven luxury vehicles, approximately 3.4 kg of gold, foreign-made firearms, and 600 grams of gold and diamond jewelry. Loans of Rs 14.46 crore are in Singh’s name with an additional Rs 1.12 crore in his wife’s name.
Other prominent wealthy candidates include Kumar Pranay of the BJP from Munger, with Rs 170 crore net worth, Nitish Kumar of the Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party from Gaya with Rs 250 crore, independent candidate Raj Kishor Gupta from Siwan at Rs 137 crore, and JD-U strongman Anant Kumar Singh from Mokama with Rs 100 crore.
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Overall, 2,600 candidates are contesting 243 seats in Bihar. Analysis shows 1,081 candidates, or 42 percent, are crorepatis, up from 33 percent in 2020. The average declared assets per candidate this year are Rs 3.35 crore, nearly double the Rs 1.72 crore average in the 2020 elections. Phase 1 alone has 1,303 candidates contesting, of which 519, or 40 percent, are millionaires.
On the other end of the spectrum, Sunil Kumar Choudhary of the BSP contesting from Pirpainti (SC) has declared zero assets. Mojahid Alam of SUCI(C) from Darbhanga has assets worth just Rs 1,000. Other low-asset candidates include Suresh Rajvanshi from Wazirganj, Shatrudhan Varma from Barh, and Shiv Kumar Yadav from Minapur, all reporting net worth under Rs 2,100.
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These figures highlight the stark contrast between wealthy political aspirants and grassroots candidates who bring minimal financial resources to the electoral contest. Analysts suggest that while wealth provides visibility and resources, voter choice may still depend on local issues, party affiliation, and candidate reputation.
Phase 1 voting covers 121 constituencies, with polling underway today from 7 AM to 6 PM. The second phase is set for November 11, completing the elections across 243 constituencies. Voters will decide the fate of high-profile leaders from the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan. Counting and results are scheduled for November 14, 2025.
