At Rs 217 cr, Badal couple richest in Punjab poll scene

With a combined declared net worth of Rs 217 crore, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal and his Union Minister wife Harsimrat Kaur Badal are so far the richest candidates to enter the fray for Lok Sabha elections in Punjab.

The power couple from Punjab have movable assets (bank balance, investments etc.) worth over a whopping Rs 100 crore. Out of this, Sukhbir Badal has over Rs 76 crore while Harsimrat Kaur has nearly Rs 24.18 crore.

Despite such riches, the Badals do not own a single car. Sukhbir Badal owns two tractors costing Rs 2.38 lakh.

While Sukhbir Badal filed his nomination from the Firozpur Lok Sabha constituency on Friday, Harsimrat Kaur filed her papers from the Bathinda seat. She had won from Bathinda in 2009 and 2014.

Sukhbir Badal also owns agricultural and non-agricultural land worth nearly Rs 59 crore while Harsimrat Kaur has the same worth nearly Rs 9.4 crore.

Besides being in politics, the Badal couple have business interests and investments in hotels, resorts, media, transport, agriculture and commercial buildings.

Sukhbir Badal also owns residential buildings worth nearly Rs 40 crore.

The gross value of their immovable assets is nearly Rs 117.67 crore, out of which Sukhbir Badal owns assets worth nearly Rs 102 crore.

Harsimrat Kaur also owns jewellery worth Rs 7 crore while Sukhbir Badal has jewellery worth Rs 9 lakh.

The couple have Rs 1.6 lakh as cash in hand.

Sukhbir Badal's father, Parkash Singh Badal (91), has been the Chief Minister of Punjab five times.

Polling in Punjab's 13 Lok Sabha seats will be held in the seventh phase on May 19. IANS