BJP’s Lok Sabha candidate from Thiruvananthapuram and former Mizoram Governor Kummanam Rajasekharan filed his nomination papers and affidavit on Friday. As per his affidavit, the former Governor declared an income of Rs 31,83,871 (31.83 lakh) for the financial year 2017-18. However, according to party members, Kummanam donated most of his salary as Governor of Mizoram to various orphanages.
“He has donated over Rs 30 lakh to different orphanages. This is almost the entire salary he received in his term as the Governor of Mizoram,” a source close to the leader told TNM.
Kummanam has Rs 513 cash in hand, while his bank balance amounts to Rs 1,05,232. The source, however, told TNM that this amount of over a lakh rupees was recently deposited in his account by various people for election campaigning purposes. According to his affidavit, Kummanam’s deposits lie in two accounts in the erstwhile State Bank of Travancore.
As far as his immoveable assets go, the BJP candidate owns 10 cents of ancestral property worth Rs 10 lakh. His profession has been listed as a social worker, as per his affidavit.
According to reports, the Chief Trustee of the Harivarasanam Charitable Trust Balamaniamma paid the security deposit of Rs 25,000 for Kummanam’s nomination. The nomination papers were submitted by Friday noon to Thiruvananthapuram district Collector K Vasuki.
In his 2016 affidavit for the Assembly Elections, Kumannam’s total assets amounted to Rs 10.49 lakh, declaring moveable assets worth Rs 49,716. He had listed his 10 cents ancestral property under immoveable assets.
Kummanam quit as the Governor of Mizoram in March 2019 to contest for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in Thiruvananthapuram. He will be facing Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and C Divakaran from CPI. Kummanam was welcomed back to Kerala with much fan following after he announced his decision to contesting from Thiruvananthapuram. BJP cadre welcomed him back drum beats and a bike rally on March 12. The rally that started from Pettah, passed through General Hospital, LMS, Palayam, Statue and finally ended at Pazhavangadi Ganpathikovil in the city.
Speaking to media persons outside the airport, Kummanam said that it was time for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to lead the people in “the renaissance period” that Kerala is witnessing. “It is time for reformation movement in Kerala. The NDA is leading this reformation movement in Kerala. This party has succeeded in mobilising the people to go forward to spearhead this renaissance, reformation and transformation movement,” Kummanam had said.
With Kummanam's return, the equations between top leaders have been strained with a lack of clarity over who will lead the party's campaign.