After 5 phases, India is ready to go on polls once again on 25 May, as the country will vote for their leaders for the Lok Sabha polls. Like all the earlier phases, phase ^ is also dominated by billionaires who are in fray for the people’s votes.
The latest analysis of candidates' declared assets for the upcoming elections by Association for Democratic Reforms has unveiled a striking financial disparity among India's political aspirants. At the forefront is Naveen Jindal from the BJP in Kurukshetra, Haryana, with an astonishing total asset value of Rs 12,41,47,68,000.
Close behind is Santrupt Misra from the BJD in Cuttack, Odisha, boasting Rs 4,82,21,02,948 in assets. Dr. Sushil Gupta from AAP, also in Kurukshetra, Haryana, ranks third with Rs 1,69,57,73,028. Naina Singh Chautala of the Jannayak Janta Party in Hisar, Haryana, secures the fourth spot with Rs 1,39,71,45,811.
Fifth is Rao Inderjit Singh from the BJP in Gurgaon, Haryana, with Rs 1,21,54,22,868. Independent candidate Fauji Jai Kawar Tyagi (Dixit) from Gurgaon, Haryana, follows with Rs 1,13,39,76,242. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi from the BJP in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh, holds the seventh position with Rs 97,17,79,479. Mahender Pratap Singh from the INC in Faridabad, Haryana, ranks eighth with Rs 90,44,74,899. Ninth is Bahadur Singh from the Jannayak Janta Party in Bhiwani-Mahendragarh, Haryana, with Rs 88,70,10,001.
Completing the top ten is Raaj Kumar Anand from the BSP in New Delhi, Delhi, with Rs 83,57,25,650. All these candidates have provided their PAN details, ensuring transparency in their declarations, and highlighting the immense financial clout present among top political figures.
Party Wise Analysis
An analysis of party-wise crorepati candidates reveals significant variations in the wealth distribution among political parties in India. Among independent candidates, 325 were analysed, out of which 86 were crorepatis, constituting 26 per cent of the total. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) showcases a remarkable proportion of wealthy candidates, with 48 out of 51 being crorepatis, which translates to an impressive 94 per cent.
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has 54 candidates, with 23 identified as crorepatis, making up 43 per cent of their total. The Indian National Congress (INC) has 20 crorepatis out of 25 candidates analysed, resulting in 80 per cent.
The Samajwadi Party (SP) also shows a high percentage, with 11 out of 12 candidates being crorepatis, which is 92 per cent. This analysis highlights the significant presence of affluent candidates across major political parties, with the BJP and SP leading in terms of the percentage of crorepati candidates.
State-wise Analysis
An analysis of state-wise crorepati candidates indicates varying levels of financial affluence among political aspirants across different states in India. Haryana stands out with 223 total candidates, of which 102 are crorepatis, representing 46 per cent of the candidates.
In Delhi (NCT), 162 candidates were analysed, with 68 identified as crorepatis, making up 42 per cent. Uttar Pradesh also has a significant proportion of wealthy candidates, with 59 out of 162 candidates being crorepatis, which is 36 per cent. Jharkhand has 91 candidates in total, with 25 crorepatis, constituting 27 per cent.
Bihar's analysis reveals that 35 out of 85 candidates are crorepatis, resulting in 41 per cent. In West Bengal, 79 candidates were analysed, with 21 identified as crorepatis, making up 27 per cent. Odisha has a higher percentage of crorepatis, with 28 out of 64 candidates being crorepatis, which translates to 44 per cent.
