Karnataka polls: 65% of candidates are 'crorepatis'

The average asset per candidate contesting in assembly polls is Rs 9.07 cr

 

Of the 1,052 candidates contesting from the six major political parties in Karnataka, 681 (or 65 per cent) are crorepatis. The average asset per candidate contesting in the 2013 Karnataka Assembly Elections is Rs 9.07 crore, according to an analysis by Karnataka Election Watch, an NGO.

Though there may be a variation in the number of these 'crorepatis' in the parties or the average wealth of candidates from a party, wealth generation itself seems to be party agnostic, though wealth generation shows variance across parties. Congress has the richest candidates, on an average. The average asset per candidate for the Congress (217 analysed candidates) is Rs 21.99 crore, for JD(S) (215 of the analysed candidates) the average is Rs 10.5 crore, for the BJP (218 analysed candidates) average is Rs 7 crore, for the KJP (197 analysed candidates) the average is Rs 2.76 crore and for BSRC (171 analysed candidates) Rs 1.84 crore and LSP (22 analysed candidates) the average is Rs 1.88 crore.

The top three candidates with the highest declared assets are (in decreasing order): Priyakrishna of Congress from Govindrajnagar Constituency has declared assets worth Rs 910 crore followed by N Nagaraju (MTB) of Congress from Hosakote constituency with assets worth Rs 470 crore and Anil Lad of Congress from Bellary city consituency with assets worth Rs 288 crore. Among the 215 candidates analysed for JD(S), K Bagegowda from Basavanagudi constituency has declared the total assets of Rs 250 crore. Similarly from BJP, the highest assets of Rs 118 crore have been declared by N S Nandiesha Reddy who is contesting from K R Pura constituency.

Not just that, politics which is known as a lucrative profession has proved beyond doubt that in Karnataka politics gives one a very good chance to grow rich.

Some 118 recontesting candidates of the Congress have shown an average asset increase of more than Rs 8.76 crore, their assets having increased from Rs 16.08 crore in 2008 to Rs 24.85 crore in 2013. Similarly, for 93 candidates of the BJP the average asset increase is more than Rs 6 crore (Rs 4.5 crore in 2008 to Rs 10.5 crore in 2013).

Some 71 recontesting candidates of the JD(S) have shown an average increase in assets of Rs 5.93 crore (from Rs 4.4 crore in 2008 to Rs 10.34 crore in 2013). 13 recontesting candidates of BSRC showed an increase of Rs 2.83 crore (from Rs 2.44 crore in 2008 to Rs 5.27 crore in 2013) while 44 recontesting candidates of KJP showed an increase of Rs 1.93 crore (from Rs 1.22 crore in 2008 to Rs 3.15 crore in 2013).

Meanwhile, those with the highest increase in assets is led by the Congress candidates. D K Shivkumar of Congress from Kanakapura constituency has shown the maximum growth in assets of Rs 175 crore which increased from Rs 75 crore in 2008 to Rs 251 crore in 2013 followed by Priyakrishna of Congress from Govindrajnagar constituency with an increase of Rs 143 crore, from Rs 767 crore in 2008 to Rs 910 crore in 2013 and Santosh Lad of Congress from Kalaghati constituency with an increase of Rs 124 crore from Rs 61 crore in 2008 to Rs 186 crore in 2013.