With 31 MLAs in Karnataka possessing assets worth more than Rs 100 crore, the state tops the list of richest legislators in India. This was revealed in a report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). Although Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, with wealth surpassing Rs 1,413 crore, is the richest in Karnataka, he is only the second richest in the country.
As per the report, Andhra Pradesh follows in second place with 27 billionaire legislators, while Maharashtra ranks third with 18.
Karnataka also tops the list in terms of total declared assets among MLAs, amounting to Rs 14,179 crore.
Among India’s top 10 richest MLAs, four are from Karnataka; three appear on the list of MLAs with the highest liabilities.
The report also revealed that, of the 119 billionaire MLAs in India, 76—63 per cent—belong to just three states: Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra.
Most of Karnataka’s wealthiest MLAs are from the Congress party. Shivakumar lost the title of India’s richest MLA to Parag Shah, a BJP legislator from Ghatkopar East in Mumbai.
Congress MLA Priya Krishna, representing Bengaluru’s Govindarajanagar constituency, declared assets worth Rs 1,156 crore, making him Karnataka’s third-richest MLA. However, he tops the national list of MLAs with the highest liabilities.
With an average asset value of Rs 63.5 crore per MLA, Karnataka is just behind Andhra Pradesh, where the average legislator owns Rs 65 crore in assets. The report also states that Karnataka’s political wealth surpasses that of Maharashtra, where the average MLA's assets stand at Rs 43.44 crore.
Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh both have four legislators each in the top 10 richest MLAs in the country, including current and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Ministers N Chandrababu Naidu and YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
The wealth of the MLAs take centre stage as Karnataka government plans to table a bill which will double the salaries of the legislators along with providing them hefty allowances.
