Puducherry Assembly Elections | 74 ‘crorepati’ candidates in fray

Nehru, an Independent, is the wealthiest with ₹43 cr. assets

March 31, 2021 12:06 am | Updated 12:16 am IST - PUDUCHERRY

G. Nehru alias Kuppusamy, Independent candidate from Orleanpet in Puducherry. Photo: affidavit.eci.gov.in

G. Nehru alias Kuppusamy, Independent candidate from Orleanpet in Puducherry. Photo: affidavit.eci.gov.in

Turning its focus on the wealth of candidates in the fray for the April 6 election, the Association for Democratic Reforms/Election Watch identified G. Nehru alias Kuppusamy, who is contesting as an Independent in Orleanpet, as the wealthiest among 74 crorepati candidates after he declared assets to the tune of ₹43 crore (immovable ₹35 crore and movable ₹8.60 crore).

Also among the top three high asset candidates was former Chief Minister N. Rangasamy and AINCR founder-president (Thattanchavady and Yanam) with assets of ₹38 crore and Puducherry PCC president A.V. Subramanian (Karaikal South) with assets in the range of ₹27 crore.

 

The analysis, however, found that the proportion of ‘crorepati’ candidates had come down when compared to data from the 2016 election. Of the 323 candidates in 2021, 74 (23%) are crorepatis against 96 (28%) out of 343 candidates in 2016.

While 35 candidates (11%) had assets of ₹5 cr and above, 25 (8%) had assets in the ₹2 crore to 5 crore range, 39 (12%) in the ₹50 lakh to ₹2 crore segment, 68 (21%) in the ₹10 lakh to ₹50 lakh bracket and 156 (48%) with assets less than ₹10 lakh.

In a party-wise split of data, 8 (89%) out of 9 candidates analysed from the BJP, 12 (86%) out of 14 candidates from INC, 13 (81%) out of 16 candidates from All India N.R. Congress, 4 (80%) out of 5 candidates from AIADMK and 9 (69%) out of 13 candidates from DMK have declared assets valued more than ₹1 crore.

The average of assets per candidate analysed in the 2021 elections is ₹2.14 crore as against the ₹2.49 crore in 2016.

Notably, one candidate — Abimannan, an Independent from Oussudu (SC) constituency has declared zero assets in his self-sworn affidavit.

In other findings, the analysis showed that 162 (50%) candidates have declared their educational qualifications to be between 5th and 12th standard while 133 (41%) candidates have declared having an educational qualification of graduation or above. While 18 candidates are diploma holders, 6 are illiterate and 4 barely literate.

In all, 109 (34%) candidates have declared their age to be between 25 to 40 years, 175 (54%) candidates to be between 41 to 60 years and 39 (12%) candidates to be between 61 to 80 years.

A total of 36 (11%) female candidates are contesting in the Puducherry assembly election 2021. In 2016 election, 26 (6%) out of 343 candidates analysed were women.

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