Lok Sabha Elections 2024 | Which parties fielded most crorepati candidates in phase 5?
The 2024 Lok Sabha elections are in full swing: with voting already completed for four phases, India is gearing up to vote in the fifth phase, which will see 49 constituencies across eight states head to the polls on May 20. Voter turnout in the first four phases, so far, has been at 66.95 per cent and it remains to be seen how the figure changes after the fifth phase.
In view of the upcoming polls, we take a look at the wealth amassed by the candidates fielded for the fifth phase.
Party-wise crorepati candidates
Of the hundreds of candidates who are contesting in the fifth phase of the polls, over 200 are crorepatis, with the maximum number of crorepatis being independent candidates (48).
When it comes to candidates fielded by parties, the BJP has the maximum number of crorepatis (36) as per ADR, accounting for 90 per cent of their candidates fielded in this phase.
The BSP is a distant second, with 20 crorepatis among its 46 candidates, roughly 43 per cent. The Mayawati-led party is followed by the Congress, which has 15 crorepatis among its 18 candidates. Interestingly, the Congress is followed by the Samajwadi Party, which has fielded only crorepati candidates (10 of 10) as per data by ADR.
Several other parties have also fielded crorepati candidates, with some noteworthy ones being: Shiv Sena (UBT) with 7 crorepatis among 8 candidates, the VBA (7 of 10), the Shiv Sena (6 of 6), the RJD (4 of 4), the BJD (4 of 5), the NCP (SP) (2 of 2), and the AIMIM (2 of 4).
Each candidate running in the Lok Sabha phase 5 polls has an average asset value of Rs 3.56 crores. 227 (33 per cent) out of total 695 contestants are crorepatis.
State-wise crorepati candidates:
Here's a state-wise look at the distribution of crorepati candidates in phase 5 of the Lok Sabha polls. Maharashtra leads with 87 such candidates in phase 5, followed by Uttar Pradesh (53) and West Bengal (20). Take a look.
After the fifth phase, two more phases remain for the Lok Sabha elections, with voting slated for May 25 and June 1. Counting of votes is slated to take place on June 4.
(Data sourced from ADR)
(Nikhil Prakash is a BA Journalism Honours student at Christ University who interned with Deccan Herald in summer 2024.)