Thu Jan 02 07:20:08 UTC 2025: ## Assam CM’s Wealth Sparks Controversy: Congress Leader Accuses Sarma of Prioritizing Personal Gain Over Development
**Guwahati, Assam, January 2, 2025** – Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi has criticized Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, accusing him of prioritizing personal wealth over the state’s development. Gogoi’s remarks follow a report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) ranking Sarma among the richest Chief Ministers in India.
The ADR report, released on December 30, 2024, placed Sarma as the 9th richest Chief Minister, with assets worth approximately ₹17 crore. This contrasts sharply with Assam’s ranking of 31st on the UNDP Human Development Index, Gogoi pointed out. He highlighted the irony of Sarma’s previous promise to elevate Assam to among the top five developing states in India.
Gogoi further noted that four National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Chief Ministers from Northeast India are featured in the top ten richest, yet their states lag significantly in development indicators. He questioned the BJP government’s definition of “development,” given the discrepancy between the CM’s personal wealth and the state’s progress.
The ADR report reveals Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu as the richest, with assets exceeding ₹931 crore, while West Bengal’s Mamata Banerjee is the poorest with ₹15 lakh. The average assets of Chief Ministers across India were found to be ₹52.59 crore, significantly higher than the average per capita net national income of ₹1,85,854.
The report also highlights the significant assets of other Chief Ministers, including Arunachal Pradesh’s Pema Khandu (second richest with over ₹332 crore) and Karnataka’s Siddaramaiah (third richest with over ₹51 crore). Conversely, Jammu and Kashmir’s Omar Abdullah and Kerala’s Pinarayi Vijayan were among the least wealthy.
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