Elections 2019: 142% Jump in Assets of 153 Re-elected MPs between 2009 and 2014

The average assets of 153 MPs who were re-elected in 2014 grew by 142%, averaging Rs 13.32 crore per MP, with Shatrughan Sinha, Pinaki Mishra and Supriya Sule sharing the top honours.

According to Election Watch and Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR), average asset growth for 153 MPs in five years (from 2009 to 2014) was Rs 7.81 crore. The independent public research groups compared financial details submitted by 153 MPs who were re-elected in 2014.

The study found that average assets of these MPs in 2009 were Rs 5.50 crore which more than doubled to Rs 13.32 crore. Among the MPs, the highest rise of Rs 116.73 crore was for Shatrughan Sinha, who was with the BJP. In 2009, his assets were around Rs 15 crore which went up to Rs 131 crore in 2014.

Pinaki Mishra of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) showed an increase of Rs 107 crore in his assets making it Rs 137 crore in 2014. The third highest jump was made by Supriya Sule of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) whose assets climbed from Rs 51 crore in 2009 to Rs 113 crore in 2014.

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The top 10 MPs with high net worth include Harsimrat Kaur Badal of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) at number 6 and Varun Gandhi of the BJP at the 10th slot. Gandhi had shown his assets to be only Rs 4 crore in 2009 which jumped to Rs 35 crore in 2014.

In terms of percentage increase, the assets of ET Muhammed Basheer of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) increased by 2,018% which accounts an increase of almost 22-fold. With an increase of 1,700%, Sisir Kumar Adhikari of All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) followed Basheer. The assets of AIADMK representative P Venugopal had gone up by 1,281%.

However, not all parliamentarians have declared an increase in assets. The biggest dip was seen in the assets of Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] parliamentarian P Karunakaran with a drop of 67%. While Jagadambika Pal of BJP and Arjun Charan Sethi of BJD declared a decrease of 64% and 39%, respectively.

Among top leaders, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's assets went up from Rs 2 crore in 2009 to Rs 7 crore in 2014 that accounts a rise of 304%. While Congress chief Sonia Gandhi’s assets increased by 573%. Another Parliamentarian Kodikkunnil Suresh of Congress declared an increase of 702%.

If we look at the party level, 72 BJP MPs showed an average jump of Rs 7.54 crore while 28 Congress MPs had an average rise of Rs 6.35 crore in their assets. The average assets of BJP MPs have recorded an increase of 140%. Congress MPs marked an average of 109% increase in their assets. Twelve AITC MPs have an average increase of 221% in assets and seven of BJD MPs have an average increase of 298%. While CPI(M) which has four re-elected parliamentarians has marked only an average of 11% increase in their assets.

(With inputs from IANS)

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