Venkataramane Gowda (Star Chandru) from the Congress party in the Mandya constituency of Karnataka is the richest candidate in phase 2 of the Lok Sabha elections 2024, according to the latest Association for Democratic Reforms’ (ADR) report that analysed the Election Commission of India (ECI) data.
Gowda has shown over ₹622 crore as the total income, including ₹212.7 crore as movable assets and ₹410 crore as immovable assets.
Voting for the second phase of the 2024 General Elections will be held on April 26. A total of 89 Lok Sabha constituencies will go polls on this date across 13 states, including key ones like Karnataka, MP, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, UP, West Bengal.
The second richest candidate DK Suresh owns assets worth ₹593 crore, including movable assets worth ₹106.7 crore and ₹486.3 crore as immovable assets.
Actor Hemamalini Dharmendra Deol of BJP, fighting from Mathura in UP, has declared total assets worth ₹278 crore, including ₹249 crore worth of immovable assets and ₹29.2 crore worth of movable assets.
Other richest candidates in the top 10 are Sanjay Sharma Sanju Bhaiya, contesting from the Hoshangabad constituency in MP (total assets ₹232 crore), Karnataka JD (S) leader HD Kumaraswamy (₹217 crore), Kanwar Singh Tanwar of BJP from Amroha (₹214 crore), MS Raksha Ramaiah of Congress from Chikkballpur in Karnataka (₹169 crore), Sukhbir Singh Jaunpuria of BJP from Tonk-Swai Madhopur in Rajasthan (₹142 crore), Prof MV Rajeev Gowda of the Congress from Bangalore North in Karnataka (₹134 crore) and Anjana Udailal from Chittorgarh in Rajasthan from Congress (₹118 crore).
While there are several crorepati candidates contesting phase 3 polls, there are some who have declared their assets as low as ₹500. For example, Laxman Nagorao Patil, independent, from Nanded constituency in Maharashtra has declared his total assets at just ₹500.
Similarly, other two candidates with lowest assets are Rajeswari KR, independent, from Kasaragod in Kerala (₹1,000) and Adv Pruthvisamrat Mukindrao Dipwansh, independent, from Amravati (SC) in Maharashtra (₹1,400).
The top three candidates with high liabilities are DK Suresh (INC, Bangalore Rural) at ₹150 crore, Sanjay Sharma (INC, Hoshangabad (MP) at ₹98 crore, HD Kumaraswamy (JD(S), Mandya) at ₹82 crore.
Candidates with highest income as declared in the ITR are Venkataramane Gowda (Star Chandru) of the Congress from Mandya, who has declared total income in ITR (self+spouse+dependent) at ₹55 crore; DK Suresh of Congress from Banagalore Rural at ₹12 crore; Mansoor Ali Khan of Congress from Bangalore Central at ₹7 crore.
While there are 96% candidates who have declared their assets via PAN, there are 4% who have not filled PAN.
Nakul Nath, Ashok Kumar and Dhevanathan Yadav T were the richest candidates in phase 1 polls (held on April 19), with Congress’ Nakul Nath, who is the son of senior Congress leader Kamal Nath, having assets worth ₹716 crore. Ashok Kumar, contesting from Tamil Nadu's Erode constituency on AIADMK ticket, had total assets worth ₹662 crore, with movable assets worth ₹573 crore and immovable at ₹88 crore. The third richest candidate was Dhevanathan Yadav T from the Sivaganga constituency of Tamil Nadu, whose assets stood at ₹304 crore, with movable assets accounting for ₹253 crore and immovable at ₹51.2 crore.
