As Bihar votes in Phase 1 of the Bihar Assembly Election 2025, the financial contrast between candidates has become one of the biggest talking points. Data analysed by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Bihar Election Watch reveals a massive wealth divide among contestants with the richest candidate declaring assets worth ₹373 crore, while the poorest has zero assets to his name.
Richest Candidate: VIP’s Ran Kaushal Pratap Singh (Net Worth: ₹373 Crore)
The richest candidate in the entire 2025 Bihar election is Ran Kaushal Pratap Singh, also known as Guddu Singh, contesting from Lauiya (West Champaran) on a Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) ticket. VIP is part of the Mahagathbandhan alliance, which includes the RJD and Congress.
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Declared assets: ₹373 crore
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Non-agricultural assets: ₹352 crore
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Shares & securities: ₹5.51 crore
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Agricultural land: ₹2.58 crore
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Wife’s assets: ₹131 crore
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Family owns:
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7 luxury cars
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Around 3.4 kg gold jewellery
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Foreign-made firearms
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Singh also has loans of around ₹14.46 crore, while his wife has loans worth ₹1.12 crore.
He faces BJP’s sitting MLA and Bhojpuri singer Vinay Bihari.
Richest Candidate in Phase 1: BJP’s Kumar Pranay (Net Worth: ₹170 Crore)
In Phase 1 (121 seats voting today), the wealthiest candidate is:
Kumar Pranay (BJP), Munger
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Net worth: ₹170 crore
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Movable assets: ₹83.35 crore
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Immovable assets: ₹86.65 crore
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Wife’s movable assets: ₹132 crore
A sitting MLA, Pranay is in a direct contest with RJD’s Avinash Vidyarthi.
Other High-Net-Worth Candidates
| Candidate | Party | Seat | Net Worth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitish Kumar | Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party | Gaya | ₹250 crore |
| Raj Kishor Gupta | Independent | Maharajganj (Siwan) | ₹137 crore |
| Anant Kumar Singh | JD(U) | Mokama | ₹100 crore |
ADR reveals that 40% of the 1,303 candidates in Phase 1 are crorepatis.
Across the election, 1,081 out of 2,600 candidates (42%) are millionaires.
The average asset value per candidate this year stands at ₹3.35 crore, almost double compared to ₹1.72 crore in 2020.
Poorest Candidate: Declared Net Worth — ₹0
On the other end of the wealth spectrum is Sunil Kumar Choudhary, a BSP candidate from Pirpainti (SC) constituency. He has declared zero movable or immovable assets.
ALSO READ: Bihar Election 2025: Chirag Paswan Urges ‘Record Turnout’ As Phase 1 Voting Begins Across 121 Seats
Sofia Babu Chacko is a journalist with over five years of experience covering Indian politics, crime, human rights, gender issues, and stories about marginalized communities. She believes that every voice matters, and journalism has a vital role to play in amplifying those voices. Sofia is committed to creating impact and shedding light on stories that truly matter. Beyond her work in the newsroom, she is also a music enthusiast who enjoys singing.
