The average self-reported annual income of a Chief Minister stands at Rs 13.34 lakh, though the disparity in wealth among them is stark. While two Chief Ministers, 7 per cent of the total, are billionaires, others report far more modest means.
Wealth in Indian politics
The financial disclosures of India’s state leaders offer a revealing glimpse into the intersection of politics and wealth. According to the latest analysis by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch (NEW), the 30 Chief Ministers of states and union territories collectively declare assets worth over Rs 1,632 crore. The average self-reported annual income of a Chief Minister stands at Rs 13.34 lakh, though the disparity in wealth among them is stark. While two Chief Ministers, 7 per cent of the total, are billionaires, others report far more modest means.
The richest among them all
At the top of the list stands N. Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and leader of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP). With declared assets exceeding Rs 931 crore, he is by far the wealthiest CM in India. Naidu’s wealth places him well ahead of the next richest CM, underlining the enormous variation in financial disclosures at this level of government.
Pema Khandu – Arunachal Pradesh
In second place is Pema Khandu of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh. His declared assets amount to over Rs 332 crore. Khandu, one of the two billionaire Chief Ministers in India, reflects the growing prominence of wealthy political leaders in the north-eastern states.
Siddaramaiah – Karnataka
Siddaramaiah, the Congress Chief Minister of Karnataka, occupies the third spot with assets worth more than Rs 51 crore. While his wealth is considerably lower than that of Naidu and Khandu, it still places him among the top tier of India’s richest state leaders. His disclosures also add weight to the Indian National Congress’s presence in the list.
Neiphiu Rio – Nagaland
Nagaland’s Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, representing the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), ranks fourth. He has declared assets of Rs 46.95 crore. Rio is one of the longest-serving CMs from the north-east, and his financial disclosures highlight the role of regional party leaders among India’s wealthy political elite.
Dr Mohan Yadav – Madhya Pradesh
At fifth position is Dr Mohan Yadav, the BJP Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. His assets amount to more than Rs 42 crore. Yadav, relatively new to the list of India’s top political earners, exemplifies the financial strength visible among leaders of the ruling party.
N. Rangasamy – Puducherry
The sixth richest Chief Minister in India is N Rangasamy of the All India N.R. Congress, who governs the Union Territory of Puducherry. His declared assets stand at over Rs 38 crore. As one of the few UT leaders on the list, Rangasamy’s wealth illustrates that financial strength among CMs is not limited to the larger states.
Parties and their wealthy leaders
Among the top 10 wealthiest Chief Ministers, the BJP leads with three names, Pema Khandu, Mohan Yadav, and Himanta Biswa Sarma. The Indian National Congress follows with two representatives, Siddaramaiah and Revanth Reddy. Leaders from regional parties such as the TDP, NDPP, AI N.R. Congress, JMM, and NPP make up the remainder. This distribution underscores the widespread presence of significant personal wealth across parties and regions.
Contrasts and liabilities
At the other end of the spectrum, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has declared the lowest assets among her peers, amounting to just Rs 15.38 lakh. All of her holdings are movable, with no immovable property declared. ADR’s analysis also reveals that 11 of the current Chief Ministers report liabilities exceeding Rs 1 crore, reflecting financial obligations even among some of the wealthiest leaders.