Rabri Devi's assets - 62 cows and 42 calves

Not too many politicians boast of such assets. Former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi is the proud owner of 62 cows and 42 calves worth Rs 17.8 lakh (over $40,000) - and has declared so ahead of the assembly elections.

Not too many politicians boast of such assets. Former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi is the proud owner of 62 cows and 42 calves worth Rs 17.8 lakh (over $40,000) - and has declared so ahead of the assembly elections.

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She has revealed this in the affidavit submitted Saturday along with her nomination papers for the Raghopur and Sonepur assembly seats. Raghopur is in Vaishali district and Sonepur in Chapra district.

According to the affidavit, Rabri Devi owns cows and calves valued at Rs 17.8 lakh.

RJD leaders close to Rabri Devi said on Sunday that most of the cows and calves were at her husband and Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad's cattle shed, locally known as 'khatal' in Danapur on Patna's outskirts.

Rabri Devi also owns ornaments worth Rs 7.62 lakh. She has Rs 2.29 lakh in the bank. Rabri has invested Rs 11.78 lakh in bonds, her affidavit says.

Her immovable property includes agricultural and non-agricultural lands worth crores of rupees in Patna and Gopalganj, her home district.

They used to keep over 100 cows and calves in a specially designed shed in their residence at 1 Anne Marg here during their tenures as chief minister. But when they were asked to vacate the place following Rabri Devi's fall from power in 2005, the cows were shifted to Danapur.

Interestingly, Rabri Devi, Lalu Prasad and their children own immovable property worth Rs 4.58 crore. The figure has increased by Rs 3 crore since 2005.

In the last assembly polls five years ago, their property was worth Rs 1.58 crore.

Rabri Devi is a legislator from Raghopur constituency. In her mid-50s, she was chief minister from 1997 to 2005. She has been the first and the only woman chief minister of Bihar.

Bihar will elect a 243-member assembly in six phase polls that begin Oct 21 and ends Nov 20. The results will be declared Nov 24.