A report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has revealed that Karnataka has emerged as the state with the highest number of billionaires.
The disclosure comes even as the Congress-led government in the state moves forward with a proposal to significantly increase lawmakers’ salaries and allowances.
According to the ADR report, Karnataka has 31 MLAs possessing assets exceeding Rs 100 crore, placing it at the top of the wealthiest legislators' list in India.
Andhra Pradesh follows with 27 billionaire MLAs, while Maharashtra ranks third with 18. Karnataka also leads in terms of total declared assets among MLAs, amounting to Rs 14,179 crore.
Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, with assets surpassing Rs 1,413 crore, is Karnataka’s wealthiest MLA but holds the second position nationally.
He lost the title of India's richest legislator to BJP MLA Parag Shah from Mumbai’s Ghatkopar East with assets worth ₹3,383 crore.
Congress MLA Priya Krishna from Bengaluru’s Govindarajanagar constituency, with declared assets of Rs 1,156 crore, is Karnataka’s third-richest MLA.
Notably, he also tops the national list of MLAs with the highest liabilities.
Wealth concentration in three states
The report highlights that 76 of India’s 119 billionaire MLAs—63 per cent—are concentrated in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra.
Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh have four legislators each among the nation’s ten wealthiest MLAs, including prominent figures like former Andhra Pradesh Chief Ministers N Chandrababu Naidu and YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
The wealth of Karnataka’s legislators has drawn attention as the state government proposes a bill to double lawmakers’ salaries and grant them significant allowances.
This move has triggered debates over the necessity of a salary increase for some of the country’s wealthiest politicians, particularly at a time when public expenditure remains under scrutiny.
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With an average asset value of Rs 63.5 crore per MLA, Karnataka trails Andhra Pradesh, where the average MLA possesses Rs 65 crore in assets. However, Karnataka surpasses Maharashtra, where the average MLA's assets stand at Rs 43.44 crore.
The report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has identified the ten wealthiest and least wealthy Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) in India.
Top 10 wealthiest MLAs
The list of the top ten richest MLAs in the country is as follows:
- Parag Shah (BJP, Maharashtra) – ₹3,383 crore
- D.K. Shivakumar (INC, Karnataka) – ₹1,413 crore
- K.H. Puttaswamy Gowda (Independent, Karnataka) – ₹1,267 crore
- Priyakrishna (INC, Karnataka) – ₹1,156 crore
- N. Chandrababu Naidu (TDP, Andhra Pradesh) – ₹931 crore
- Ponguru Narayana (TDP, Andhra Pradesh) – ₹824 crore
- Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy (YSRCP, Andhra Pradesh) – ₹757 crore
- V. Prashanthi Reddy (TDP, Andhra Pradesh) – ₹716 crore
- Jayantibhai Somabhai Patel (BJP, Gujarat) – ₹661 crore
- Suresha B.S. (INC, Karnataka) – ₹648 crore
10 Least wealthy MLAs
At the other end of the spectrum, several MLAs have declared assets below ₹1 lakh, with the lowest being Nirmal Kumar Dhara of the BJP from West Bengal, who has reported assets of just ₹1,700.
The ten least wealthy MLAs in India are:
- Nirmal Kumar Dhara (BJP, West Bengal) – ₹1,700
- Narinder Pal Singh Sawna (AAP, Punjab) – ₹18,370
- Narinder Kaur Bharaj (AAP, Punjab) – ₹24,409
- Mehraj Malik (AAP, Jammu & Kashmir) – ₹29,070
- Pundarikakshya Saha (AITC, West Bengal) – ₹30,423
- Anil Kumar Anil Pradhan (SP, Uttar Pradesh) – ₹30,496
- Sanjali Murmu (BJP, Odisha) – ₹35,076
- Chandana Bauri (BJP, West Bengal) – ₹62,296
- Nandita Debbarma (Tipra Motha, Tripura) – ₹63,000
- Ramvriksh Sada (RJD, Bihar) – ₹70,000
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