New Lok Sabha Has 475 ‘Crorepati’ MPs, Top 3 From Congress: ADR

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(Photo: The Quint)

A total of 475 members of the new Lok Sabha are 'crorepatis' with Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath's son Nakul Nath topping the list, the Association of Democratic Reforms said on Sunday, 26 May.

The ADR arrived at the figure of 'crorepati' MPs after analysing the affidavits on assets and liabilities of 539 new MPs.

The ADR said it was unable to access affidavits of three of the 542 new MPs – two of the BJP and one of the Congress. The BJP won 303 seats in the 17th Lok Sabha and the Congress 52.

Elections were held for 542 of the 543 Lok Sabha seats. The election for Vellore Lok Sabha seat had been cancelled by the Election Commission of India, citing abuse of money power. A fresh date is yet to be announced. Two members of the 545-strong House are nominated.

In the Congress, 43 out of its 51 MPs (totalling 96 percent) were found to be 'crorepatis'.

Out of the 301 new BJP MPs, whose affidavits were examined, 265 (88 percent) were found to be crorepatis, while all 18 winners of its NDA partner Shiv Sena had assets exceeding Rs 1 crore.

Similarly, 22 (96 percent)out of 23 DMK MPs, 20 (91 percent) out of 22 of the Trinamool Congress MPs and 19 (86 percent)out of 22 YSR Congress MPs had assets exceeding Rs 1 crore.

The top three crorepati MPs are from the Congress, the ADR said.

Nath, who won from Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh, has declared assets worth Rs 660 crore, followed by Vasanthakumar H from Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu (Rs 417 crore) and DK Suresh from Bengaluru Rural, Karnataka (Rs 338 crore).

The average of assets per winner in the Lok Sabha elections is Rs 20.93 crore.

There are 266 members in the new Lok Sabha whose assets are Rs 5 core or above.

The number of crorepati MPs elected in 2009 Lok Sabha elections was 315 (58 percent) and 443 (82 percent) in the 2014.