Richest candidate in phase 2 has Rs 622 crore assets, poorest just Rs 500

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, April 26, 2024: There are 390 crorepati candidates in the fray in the second phase of Lok Sabha polls, with the richest being Congress’s Mandya candidate Venkataramane Gowda. Also known as Star Chandru, Gowda has declared assets worth Rs 622 crore, as per an analysis of affidavits of the candidates by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).

On the other hand, the poorest candidate, Laxman Nagorao Patil, who is contesting as an independent from Nanded in Maharashtra, has declared total assets worth just Rs 500.

As per his affidavit, Venkataramane Gowda, who is contesting against former Karnataka Chief Minister and NDA nominee HD Kumaraswamy, has declared movable assets worth Rs 212 crore and immovable assets worth Rs 410 crore.

His wife, Kusuma, has movable assets totalling Rs 182.33 crore, with Rs 176.44 crore invested in Star Infratech, a company managed by Gowda.

Congress MP DK Suresh, who is seeking re-election from Bengaluru Rural seat, is the second-richest candidate with assets worth Rs 593 crore. Suresh has declared movable assets worth Rs 106 crore and immovable assets worth Rs 486 crore.

In the 2019 election, Suresh, the younger brother of Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, was the wealthiest candidate in Karnataka.

As per ADR, the third-richest candidate is actor-turned-politician Hema Malini, who is seeking a hat-trick from the Mathura Lok Sabha seat. The BJP MP has declared assets worth Rs 278 crore.

On the other hand, the poorest candidate contesting the phase 2 of Lok Sabha polls has assets totalling just Rs 500. Laxman Nagorao Patil, an independent candidate, has declared movable assets worth Rs 500 and has no immovable assets.

The second-poorest candidate, Rajeswari KR, is in the fray from Kerala’s Kasargod and has declared assets worth Rs 1,000.

Advocate Pruthvisamrat Dipwansh is the third-poorest candidate and has declared assets worth Rs 1,400.

Dipwansh has entered the contest as an independent candidate from Maharashtra’s Amravati (SC). Moreover, there are six candidates who have declared zero assets.

Courtesy: India Today