The first phase of Lok Sabha elections kicks off today across 21 states. With 102 Lok Sabha seats, covering 16.63 crore voters and 1.87 lakh polling stations in the initial phase alone, the scale of the electoral process is massive. However, what might get overlooked behind voting campaigns and political speeches during the electoral process is the wealth profile of the candidates.
Here's a rundown of the top four wealthiest candidates participating in phase one of the elections.
Nakul Nath
Nakul Nath from the Congress party tops the list of richest candidates. He is currently serving as a Member of Parliament from Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh and has declared assets worth Rs 716 crore. He is the son of former chief minister Kamal Nath, who has been representing this constituency for over two decades.
Despite BJP's win in Madhya Pradesh, Nakul Nath succeeded his father in 2019 and managed to retain the seat for the Congress party.
Ashok Kumar
Ashok Kumar will be contesting from the Erode constituency in the first phase of elections. A member of the AIADMK (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) party, he has a considerable net worth of Rs 662 crore. He serves as the chairman of the Krishnagiri District Panchayat and comes from a political family.
Dhevanathan Yadav T
The BJP candidate hails from the Sivaganga constituency of Tamil Nadu and boasts a massive net worth of Rs 304 crore. He originally founded and was a member of the Indhiya Makkal Kalvi Munnetra Kazhagam (IMKMK), a regional party at a lower level. National parties often look for alliances with smaller parties to broaden their sway over minor constituencies.
Mala Rajya Lakshmi Shah
The BJP member is running for office in Tehri Garhwal district, Uttarakhand. She has been serving as a Lok Sabha member since 2012, and her assets are worth over Rs 206 crore.
She had earlier secured victory over Saket Bahuguna, son of former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna and a candidate of the Congress. However, Saket was later expelled from the Congress party due to his involvement in anti-party activities.
