Nearly 42% of the candidates in the fray for the Karnataka Assembly Elections 2023 are crorepatis. The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Karnataka Election Watch have analysed the self-sworn affidavits of 2586 candidates out of 2615 candidates, who are contesting in the Karnataka 2023 Assembly Elections.


Out of the 2586 candidates analysed, 1,087(42%) are crorepatis. In the 2018 Karnataka Assembly Elections, out of 2560 candidates, 883(35%) were crorepatis. The analysis report deduced that the role of money power in the elections is big, as all major political parties gave tickets to wealthy candidates. Among the major parties, 215 (97%) out of 221 candidates analysed from INC, 216 (96%) out of 224 candidates analysed from BJP, 170(82%) out of 208 candidates analysed from JD(S) and 107(51%) out of 208 candidates analysed from AAP have declared assets valued at more than Rs 1 crore.


All the major parties contesting the Karnataka Elections 2023 have shown a significant rise in the number of crorepati candidates they have fielded. Here are the statistics as per the ADR report:


CONGRESS
The number of Congress's crorepati candidates increased from 94% in 2018 to 97% in 2023.


BJP
The number of crorepati candidates in BJP increased from 93% in 2018 to 96% in 2023.


JD(S) 
Crorepati candidates in JD(S) increased by 5% — from 77% in 2018 to 82% in 2023.


AAP
As much as 51% of the candidates fielded by the Aam Aadmi Party in 2023 are crorepatis as compared to 33% in 2018


IND
The number of crorepati independents also saw a 6% rise — from 18% to 24% since the last five elections.


Among major parties, the average assets per candidate for 221 INC candidates analysed is Rs 49.83 crore, 224 BJP candidates analysed is Rs 39.41 crore, 208 JD(S) candidates have average assets of Rs 24.45 crore, and 208 AAP have average assets worth Rs 4.25 crore.


The average of assets per candidate contesting in the Karnataka Assembly Elections 2023 is Rs 12.26 crore. In 2018 Karnataka Assembly Elections, average assets per candidate for 2560 contestants was Rs 7.54 crore.


WEALTHIEST CANDIDATES


The wealthiest candidates in this year's election in Karnataka are Yousuf Shariff from Congress with a total declared assets value of Rs 16.34 crore, BJP leader N Nagaraju with Rs 16.1 crore worth of assests, and state Congress president D K Shivakumar with assets worth Rs 14.14 crore to his name.


There are 14 candidates who have declared zero assets.


The elections to the 224-member Karnataka Assembly will be held in a single phase on May 10 and the results will be declared on May 13.