Ruling Congress MLAs in Karnataka are the richest politicians in the state, an analysis by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch (NEW) revealed. ADR and NEW have analysed self-sworn affidavits of 184 re-contesting MLAs in Karnataka assembly polls.
The results show that the average assets increase of these MLAs between 2013 and 2018 is Rs 17.31 crore. The ruling Congress party MLAs are the richest.
In the list of top 15 MLAs with highest increase in average assets, 14 are from the Congress party. Assets of re-contesting Congress MLAs have grown at an average of Rs 24.73 crore. Congress party MLA from Kanakapura constituency DK Shivakumar is the richest re-contesting leader. His assets grew by 243 per cent in last five years.
As per the ADR analysis, all five recontesting MLAs with assets increase worth more than Rs. 100 crores are from the Congress party.
The average assets of these 184 re-contesting MLAs from various parties including independent MLAs in 2013 was Rs 26.92 crores (Rs 26,92, 34,672). The average assets of these 184 re-contesting MLAs in 2018 is Rs 44.24 crores (Rs 44,24,28,949). The average percentage increase in assets for these 184 re-contesting MLAs is 64 per cent. Party-wise average increase in assets of re contesting MLAs reveales that assets of 108 Congress MLAs saw an increase of Rs 24.73 crore, assets 49 BJP MLAs saw an increase of Rs 6.97 crore, and assemts of JD(S) MLAs saw an average increase of Rs 7.22 crore.
Congress candidate from Kanakapura DK Shivakumar's assets has seen jump by 234 per cent over the past five years making him the richest re-contesting MLA. His assets increased by Rs 588 crores from Rs 251 crores in 2013 to Rs 840 crores in 2018.
Interestingly, his total annual income as per last return is Rs 1 crore only. DK Shivakumar has attributed this increase to salary, capital gains, agriculture income and other sources (such as bank interest, commission).
Congress MLA from Hosakote constituency, N Nagaraju's (MTB) assets increased by 116 per cent. His assets jumped by Rs 545 crore from Rs 470 crore to Rs 1015 crores in 2018. His total income as per last return is Rs 157 crore. He has attributed this jump to income from agriculture, house property, business and other sources.
The third richest re-contesting MLA is also from the Congress party. Shamanur Shivashankarappa contesting from Davanagere South saw his assets jump by 170 per cent in five years. His assets grew by Rs 115 crore from Rs 67 crores in 2013 to Rs 183 crores in 2018. His total annual income as per last year's return is Rs 7 crore. He has attributed this increase to rental income and share of profit from partnership firm.
