Patna: Suresh Kumar Sharma, the urban development and housing minister currently embroiled allegedly in a brawl at a hotel in Bengal, is the richest member of Nitish Kumar's cabinet.
The 71-year-old minister, along with his wife, has movable assets worth over Rs 2 crore and immovable assets of over Rs 8.2 crore.
They have around 250 grams of gold with them as well as a Maruti Suzuki Brezza worth around Rs 12 lakh. The Sharmas own several plots of lands and buildings in Muzaffarpur district. Sharma's asset details were made public on Monday night by the cabinet secretariat department along with those of Nitish and other ministers. Only health minister Mangal Pandey is yet to submit his assets since he has been travelling.
Sharma, apart from being a politician, is also a businessman and is believed to be among the richest persons in Muzaffarpur district. He owns North Bihar Agro Agency, considered one of the biggest two-wheeler automobile agencies in north Bihar. He also has two showrooms dealing in Maruti Suzuki automobiles. The minister holds a diploma in automobile engineering.
Known to be well-behaved and soft-spoken, Sharma is not a muscleman and is considered a colourful person by his acquaintances, as well as opponents. Sharma, a Bhumihar, owns a rifle and a revolver as per the declaration.
According to the affidavit submitted to the Election Commission while contesting the 2015 Assembly polls from Muzaffarpur constituency, Sharma has no criminal cases pending against him.
Senior BJP leaders pointed that Sharma is valued much in the party due to his wealth, and he has hosted top national leaders, including former deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani, Uma Bharti, Kalyan Singh, Kailashpati Mishra and several others.
In the cabinet, labour resources minister Vijay Kumar Sinha is the second richest. He has movable and immovable assets worth Rs 8.7 crore and owns three Tavera automobiles. Water resources minister Rajiv Ranjan a.k.a. Lalan Singh has assets worth Rs 6.7 crore, making him the third wealthiest among the ministers. Both Sinha and Lalan had humble beginnings before they rose and shone in politics.
