Among the top 5 richest candidates, three belong to the Congress while one has affiliations to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and another one is an Independent candidate.
It truly turns into a festival of democracy when the election season is underway in the country. From colourful banners and buntings to fancy cavalcade marching down a never-ending bed of flowers, it is a sight to behold. However, all that fancy comes at a price and the richer the contesting candidate is, the grander his/her rally appears. According to an Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) data, the top 10 contesting candidates in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections are worth a staggering Rs 2,218 crore.
Among the top 5 richest candidates, three belong to the Congress while one has affiliations to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and another one is an Independent candidate. Here's is the list of top 5 richest candidates contesting the 2019 Lok Sabha elections:
1. Harikrishnan Vasanthakumar - Congress - Tamil Nadu
Congress' candidate from Kanyakumari, Vasanthakumar is the richest candidate in the 2019 elections with a reported wealth of Rs 417 crore. According to the ADR, he has movable assets of Rs 230 crore and immovable assets of Rs 187 crore.
He is the founder and chairman of Vasanth & Co, the largest retail home appliance chain in Tamil Nadu with more than 80 stores across the state. Vasanthakumar is also the founder and Managing Director of Tamil satellite channel Vasanth TV.
2. Uday Singh - Congress - Uttar Pradesh
Uday Singh, also known as Pappu Singh, is the second richest candidate in the list with assets worth Rs 341 crore to his name. His movable assets amount to Rs 115 crore while immovable assets at Rs 225 crore.
He has made his fortune from his businesses spread across Bihar. He is a renowned industrialist while his wife is also a successful entrepreneur. Uday Singh, who recently quit the BJP to join Congress, has been fielded from the Purnia Lok Sabha seat in Bihar.
3. DK Suresh - Congress - Karnataka
DK Suresh is another Congress candidate who comes at the third spot in the list of richest candidates in the 2019 elections. His total wealth amounts to in excess of Rs 338 crore out of which Rs 33 crore are movable assets while the remaining Rs 305 crore are in immovable assets.
DK Suresh, who is the brother of prominent Congress leader DK Shivakumar, has quadrupled his wealth in the last five years mostly through capital gains, agricultural income and bank interest. He has been fielded from the Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha seat in Karnataka.
4. Hema Malini - BJP - Uttar Pradesh
The Bollywood veteran is the only BJP leader in the top 5 list with assets worth Rs 250 crore. Her movable assets amount to Rs 25 crore while the immovable assets are worth Rs 224 crore.
Malini's affidavit shows that her bungalows, jewellery, shares and term deposits make the most of her wealth. She has also included her husband Dharmendra's assets as well in her affidavit.
She is contesting the 2019 elections from the Mathura Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh.
5. E Subaya - Independent - Tamil Nadu
E Subaya completes the list of the wealthiest candidates with assets worth over Rs 237 crore to his name. Subaya has declared Rs 3.38 crore as his movable assets while a staggering Rs 234 crore in immovable assets. Subaya, who used to affiliated with the AMMK, has shares in Esakki Farms and Sri Saravana Properties, which is his main source of wealth.
He is contesting the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Chennai South as an Independent candidate.