In the upcoming Delhi Assembly Elections 2025, political parties have selected a number of wealthy candidates, with five billionaires among the 699 candidates. The report by the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Delhi Election Watch highlights the growing influence of money in politics, as several candidates boast assets exceeding 100 crores.

Topping the list of the richest candidates is Karnail Singh, a BJP nominee from Shakur Basti, with assets worth over Rs 259 crore. Close behind him is BJP’s Manjinder Singh Sirsa, contesting from Rajouri Farden, who has declared assets exceeding Rs 248 crore. Congress’s Gurcharan Singh, contesting from Krishna Nagar, ranks third with assets worth more than Rs 130 crore.

BJP’s Parvesh Sahib Singh, contesting from New Delhi, holds the fourth position with assets of more than Rs 115 crore. AAP’s Dhanwati Chandela, who is running from Rajouri Garden, completes the top five with assets over Rs 109 crore.

Other notable wealthy candidates include AAP’s Ram Singh Netaji from Badarpur, BJP’s Raj Kumar Anand from Patel Nagar, and BJP’s Anil Goyal from Krishna Nagar, who occupy the 6th, 7th, and 8th positions. Congress’s Dharampal Lakra from Mundka and AAP’s Pramila Tokas from RK Puram round out the list of the top 10 richest candidates.

On the other end of the spectrum, the poorest candidates include Ashok Kumar, an independent from Ambedkar Nagar, with assets of just Rs 6,000, and another independent candidate, Anita Kumari from New Delhi, who has assets of only Rs 9,000. These figures highlight the stark contrast in wealth among candidates in this high-stakes election.

As Delhi prepares for the elections on February 5, the growing prominence of wealthy candidates has sparked discussions on the role of money in shaping the political landscape.