Independent Ramesh Kumar richest candidate in LS polls
Engineer has more than Rs11.07b as assets
New Delhi: With declared assets of over Rs11.07 billion (Dh57.82 million), Ramesh Kumar Sharma is the richest candidate in the Lok Sabha elections, his affidavit shows.
An independent contesting against BJP MP Ram Kripal Yadav from Patliputra in Bihar, Sharma says he is fighting against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his fake promises.
The 63-year-old with a Chartered Engineer certificate owns nine vehicles, including a Volkswagen Jetta, a Honda city and an Optra Chevrolet, the affidavit says.
Sharma has declared total assets worth Rs11,075,833,190, of which assets worth Rs70,833,190 are movable.
Sharma told IANS: “With demonetisation, Modi took money away from people. There is crime happening all around and they are looting the country. I am fighting this election against Modi, the ‘jumlebaaz’.”
The aspiring politician is “more than 100 per cent confident of his win” even if BJP President Amit Shah contests against him.
Sharma is the only independent in the top five richest candidates in the Lok Sabha battle. The other four are from the Congress.
The second richest is Konda Vishweshwar Reddy, the Congress candidate from Chevella in Telangana, with Rs8.95 billion assets. He has movable assets worth Rs8,563,818,770 and immovable assets worth Rs386,360,400.
Nakul Nath, the Congress candidate from Chhindwara Lok Sabha constituency in Madhya Pradesh, is the third richest man in the fray with assets worth Rs6.60 billion — the movable and immovable assets are worth Rs6,184,172,757 and Rs417,774,000 respectively.
The fourth richest man is Vasanthakumar H., the Congress candidate from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu, with assets worth Rs4,174,930,444, of which Rs2,304,930,444 are movable.
With assets worth over Rs3.74 billion, Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia, contesting from Guna in Madhya Pradesh, is the fifth richest candidate. He was also the richest candidate in the just concluded sixth phase of polling.