New Lok Sabha has 475 'crorepati' MPs: ADR

A total of 475 members of the new Lok Sabha are 'crorepatis' with Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath's son Nakul Nath topping the list, the Association of Democratic Reforms said Sunday.

The ADR arrived at the figure of 'crorepati' MPs after analysing the affidavits on assets and liabilities of 539 new MPs.

The ADR said it was unable to access affidavits of three of the 542 new MPs -- two of the BJP and one of the Congress. The BJP won 303 seats in the 17th Lok Sabha and the Congress 52.

Elections were held for 542 of the 543 Lok Sabha seats. The election for Vellore Lok Sabha seat had been cancelled by the Election Commission of India, citing abuse of money power. A fresh date is yet to be announced. Two members of the 545-strong House are nominated.

Out of the 301 new BJP MPs, whose affidavits were examined, 265 (88 per cent) were found crorepati, while all 18 winners of its NDA partner Shiv Sena had assets exceeding Rs one crore.

In Congress, 43 out of its 51 MPs (totaling 96 per cent) were found to be 'crorepati'.

Similarly, 22 (96 per cent) out of 23 DMK MPs, 20 (91 per cent) out of 22 of the Trinamool Congress MPs and 19 (86 per cent)out of 22 YSR Congress MPs had assets exceeding Rs one crore.

The top three crorepatis MPs are from the Congress, the ADR said.

Nath, who won from Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh, has declared assets worth Rs 660 crore, followed by Vasanthakumar H from Kanniyakumari, Tamil Nadu (Rs 417 crore) and D K Suresh from Bengaluru Rural, Karnataka (Rs 338 crore).

The average of assets per winner in the Lok Sabha elections is Rs 20.93 crore.

There are 266 members in the new Lok Sabha whose assets are Rs 5 core or above.

The number of crorepati MPs elected in 2009 Lok Sabha elections was 315 (58 per cent) and 443 (82 per cent) in 2014.