Assembly polls: TN politicians are way richer than their all-India counterparts

Prominent Tamil Nadu politicians are wealthier than their counterparts in Assam, West Bengal, Kerala and the Union Territory of Puducherry, if one goes by the affidavit filed by them for the upcoming Assembly polls.

In the affidavits, while Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has declared total assets of ₹6.7 crore, DMK President MK Stalin’s total assets were ₹ 8.88 crore. Stalin’s son Udhayanidhi, who is making his electoral debut in Chepauk-Triplicane constituency, has declared total assets of ₹ 29.07 crore.

Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan is by far the richest poll candidate in Tamil Nadu. The Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder declared total assets worth ₹176.93 crore, while fellow actor and MNM member Sripriya closed-in with ₹176.71 crore.

In neighbouring Puducherry, All India N.R. Congress Chief N Rangasamy declared ₹26.23 lakh in movable assets and ₹38.13 crore in immovable assets.

In contrast, two times West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee’s total assets stood at a mere ₹16.72 lakh, a 48 per cent drop from ₹ 30.45 lakh declared in 2016. Banerjee does not hold any immovable assets.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who has served the longest as secretary of the Kerala State Committee of the CPI(M), has declared total assets of ₹1.19 crore, of which, Vijayan’s assets are valued at ₹ 54 lakh and his spouse’s at ₹64.80 lakh. Senior Kerala Congress leader Oommen Chandy’s total assets (including his wife’s and dependants’) were valued at ₹4.45 crore.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal declared total assets of ₹3.18 crore (movable ₹ 1.15 crore and immovable ₹2.03 crore).

Asset class

Interestingly, Oommen Chandy, Udhayanidhi Stalin and Kamal Haasan are the only prominent politicians who own cars, as per the affidavits. While Chandy owns a Maruti Swift (₹2 lakh), Udhayanidhi has a Range Rover (₹1.78 crore). Haasan owns a BMW-730 (₹98.73 lakh) and a Lexus LX 570 (₹2.71 crore). Puducherry’s Rangasamy has two Yamaha bikes (₹35,000).

While Mamata has 9.75 gm gold, Vijayan’s spouse declared 80 gm gold ornaments. Other politicians (including their spouses) such as Udhayanidhi (1,600 gm), Stalin (720 gm), Palaniswami (820 gm), Chandy (334 gm), Sonowal (30 gm) and Rangasamy (24 gm) have also declared gold holdings in their affidavits.

Under immovable assets, Haasan has four commercial properties (₹ 92.05 crore) while Puducherry’s Rangasamy owns a six-storeyed apartment (₹ 7.63 crore).