Just literates to doctorate holders eye mayor’s post

Patna: The first direct election for the Patna mayor’s post on October 22 is going to be an interesting battle among the candidates from different social backgrounds who are either just literates or even postgraduates and doctorate holders.
As many as 33 candidates have filed nomination papers for the mayor’s seat in the Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections.The final list of the candidates will be released after the scrutiny of their nomination papers and withdrawal of papers by any of them till September 29.
As far as educational qualification of the contestants is concerned, six are just literates, three are matriculates, five have Intermediate degree, 11 are graduates, four postgraduates, two have LLB degrees and two are doctorate (PhD) holders. Rani Kumari (25), who is the youngest among them, is pursuing her masters course from Darbhanga House.
Outgoing mayor Sita Sahu, outgoing deputy mayor Rajni Devi, Pushpa Devi (38), Kanti Devi (55), Swati Kannodia (42) and Swati Aggarwal (38) are the six candidates who are only literates.
Former mayor Afzal Imam’s wife Mahjabeen and Ratna Purkayastha have PhD degrees while Arti Singh and Kusum Lata Verma are advocates.
As per their affidavits, Vinita Singh, the wife of Bittu Singh, is the richest among the candidates with assets (immovable and immovable) worth over Rs68 crore. Besides, she has seven SUVs and 2kg each of gold and silver ornaments. Her husband is associated with the ruling party JD(U).
Sahu has assets worth Rs8 crore while her daughter-in-law Shweta Kumari owns properties worth Rs2 crore. Rajni has assets worth Rs3.28 crore and Mahjabeen’s properties are worth Rs2 crore.
As many as 17 candidates have movable and immovable property valued over Rs1 crore, while four have declared no property at all. They are Manjari Devi of ward 1, social worker Pushpa Devi of ward 22 C, Arti Singh of ward 22 and Rani Kumari of ward 53.
Among the candidates, ten are homemakers and will step into the political world only in this election. Majority of them have their own businesses.
While six of them are social workers, two are advocates, one student and one retired government servant.
Some of the important names are Sahu, Rajni, Mahjabeen, Kamal Noopany’s wife Sarita Noopany and Vinita.
The symbols will be allotted to the candidates on September 30. The election as well as counting of votes will be held on October 22. For mayor election, 17.3 lakh voters will exercise franchise at 1,895 polling booths.