Lok Sabha Election 2024 2nd Phase Voting: Star Chandru, DK Suresh, Hema Malini Among Top 5 Richest Candidates

Congress candidate Venkataramane Gowda (Star Chandru) vying for Karnataka's Mandya seat, is one of the most richest candidate in the 2nd phase with assets worth over Rs 622 crore.

Congress candidate Venkataramane Gowda.

As 2nd phase of Lok Sabha elections commenced on Friday, all eyes are set on the fate of 1,198 candidates who will be contesting the polls from 88 constituencies across 13 states/union territories. Rolling out the money behind their sleeves in their nomination papers, as many as 390 candidates have declared assets worth crores, according to the the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) data. In the second phase of elections, there are 15.88 crore registered voters.

Top 5 Richest candidates In 2nd Phase Of Lok Sabha Polls

Congress candidate Venkataramane Gowda (Star Chandru) vying for Karnataka's Mandya seat, is one of the most richest candidate in the 2nd phase with assets worth over Rs 622 crore, according to a report by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). Gowda is contesting against HD Kumaraswamy in the polls. 

DK Suresh, the incumbent Congress MP from Karnataka, is the second wealthiest candidate, with assets worth Rs 593 crore. Suresh, the younger sibling of Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, holds the position of a three-time MP and is contesting for re-election from Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha seat. In his election affidavit, he states that he holds bank deposits totaling Rs 16.61 crore, agricultural land valued at Rs 32.76 crore spread over 21 locations, non-agricultural land valued at Rs 210.47 crore spread over 27 sites, nine commercial buildings amounting to Rs 211.91 crore, and three residential buildings worth Rs 27.13 crore.

BJP MP Hema Malini, who is contesting again from the Mathura Lok Sabha seat, is the third richest with assets totaling Rs 278 crore.

Madhya Pradesh Congress leader Sanjay Sharma is fourth wealthiest candidate in the phase 2 Lok Sabha polls. He has declared assets valued at Rs 232 crore.

Former Karnataka Chief Minister and JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy ranks fifth on the list with total assets valued at approximately Rs 217.21 crore.