 |
|
The recently released Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) report reveals that a staggering 93% of the winning candidates in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections are crorepatis, a significant increase from the 88% in the 2019 elections and 82% in the 2014 elections.
This trend indicates a rapid influx of super-rich politicians into the parliament, raising concerns about the growing influence of wealth in Indian politics.
The report analyzed the financial assets of 543 winning candidates and found that the average assets per winner for 240 BJP winning candidates is ₹50.04 crores, significantly higher than the average assets of ₹22.93 crores for 99 INC winning candidates.
The top three richest Lok Sabha winners in 2024 are Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani from Andhra Pradesh, Konda Vishweshwar Reddy from Telangana, and Naveen Jindal from Haryana.
Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, the richest winner, has a total asset of ₹5,705 crore, while Konda Vishweshwar Reddy and Naveen Jindal have assets of ₹4568 crore and ₹1241 crore, respectively.
These findings highlight the increasing dominance of wealthy individuals in Indian politics and raise questions about the impact of money and influence on electoral outcomes and policy-making.
The ADR report serves as a reminder of the need for greater transparency and accountability in political financing and the importance of ensuring equal opportunities for all candidates, regardless of their financial resources.