New Delhi: A staggering 93 per cent of the candidates who won the 2024 Lok Sabha elections are crorepatis, up from 88 per cent in 2019, according to an analysis by poll rights body Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR).
The top three wealthiest candidates are TDP’s Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani from Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur constituency with assets worth Rs 5,705 crore, BJP’s Konda Vishweshwar Reddy from Telangana’s Chevella with total assets amounting to Rs 4,568 crore and BJP’s Naveen Jindal from Haryana’s Kurukshetra with assets worth Rs 1,241 crore.
Out of the 543 winning candidates, 504 are crorepatis, the analysis found.
In 2019, 475 (88 per cent) winning candidates were crorepatis and 443 (82 per cent) in 2014.
The trend indicates a steady climb since 2009 when only 315 (58 per cent) MPs were crorepatis.
According to the analysis, 227 (95 per cent) of the BJP’s 240 winning candidates, 92 (93 per cent) of the Congress’ 99, 21 (95 per cent) of the DMK’s 22, 27 (93 per cent) of the TMC’s 29 and 34 (92 per cent) of the Samajwadi Party’s 37 candidates have declared assets worth more than Rs 1 crore.
All winning candidates of the AAP (3), the JDU (12) and the TDP (16) are crorepatis, ADR data showed.
The analysis also delves into candidates’ chances of winning based on their financial backgrounds.
It found that the probability of a crorepati candidate clinching victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections stood at 19.6 per cent, compared to a meagre 0.7 per cent for candidates with assets less than a crore.
The analysis also provides a breakdown of wealth distribution among the winning candidates.
The data showed that 42 per cent of the candidates possess assets totalling Rs 10 crore and above.
While 19 per cent of the candidates fall within the bracket of Rs 5 to 10 crore, 32 per cent hold assets ranging between Rs 1 and 5 crore.
Only about 1 per cent of the winning candidates have assets worth less than Rs 20 lakh.
Meanwhile, as many as 251 (46 per cent) of the 543 newly elected Lok Sabha members have criminal cases registered against them and 27 of them have been convicted, according to an analysis by poll rights body Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR).
This is the highest number of candidates facing criminal charges to be elected to the Lower House.
A total of 233 MPs (43 per cent) had declared criminal cases against themselves, 185 (34 per cent) in 2014, 162 (30 per cent) in 2009 and 125 (23 per cent) in 2004.
According to the analysis, there has been a 55 per cent increase in the number of MPs with declared criminal cases since 2009.
Of the 251 winning candidates this year, 170 (31 per cent) face serious criminal cases, including rape, murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping, and crimes against women.
This is also an increase from 159 (29 per cent) MPs in 2019, 112 (21 per cent) MPs in 2014, and 76 (14 per cent) MPs in 2009, the analysis showed.
There has been a 124 per cent increase in the number of MPs with declared serious criminal cases since 2009, it said.
The analysis also highlights specific cases among the winning candidates.