The politics says a popular adage, is the last resort of a scoundrel. In Karnataka (and in most of the other states too in the country), there appears to be a virtual beeline to move over to the resort. The reason is not too far to seek. It offers avenue for making quick money via the route of electoral politics.
This should explain the mad rush for the nominations for party ticket for contesting the ensuing election and all the confusion that it created for the party leadership at the highest level in the case of Congress to take their own time in finalizing the list albeit in installments. The party leadership had to contend with the dark threat of rebellion in the event of the denial of the ticket and the party hopping phenomenon by those who were denied the ticket. For them it is not the party label which mattered but the opportunity to contest the election to try out their luck.
It is for nothing that they are eager to join the electoral race. At stake is the phenomenal opportunity that beckons them to hit a jackpot as it were. For, as a study has revealed, the average asset per MLA in Karnataka during the current assembly tenure, is whopping – Rs. 5.98 crores for the five year tenure. This according to National Election Watch, (NEW), a voluntary organisation wedded to the cause of keeping vigil on the electoral scene is the highest, followed by 2011 Tamil Nadu Assembly (Rs. 3.98 crores,), Andhra Pradesh Assembly 2009 (Rs. 3.78 crores) and 2011 Kerala Assembly (Rs. 1.43 crores).
The increase in the assets per MLA between the 2004 and the 2008 tenure period has been 365%, since the corresponding figure for the previous assembly stood at Rs. 1.29 crores.
For the purpose of the analysis, the affidavits filed by 214 legislators of 2008 assembly and 186 legislators of the previous tenure were undertaken by the N.E W. It has also gone into the assets of the ministers too. The Karnataka Legislative Assembly, it may be mentioned here has a strength of 224.
The analysis of the data of assets data of 214 legislators, it is specifically made clear is exclusive of the assets of Rs. 767.61 crores of Priya Krishna, the Congress MLA from Govindraja Nagar constituency (in Bangalore), perhaps one of the richest among the members of the assembly says the report.
Interestingly, the party barriers, or whether the members belongs to the ruling or the opposition party, have not come in the way of the single minded pursuit of wealth made by the members.
It is the Congress MLAs, who were in the opposition, who had the highest average asset to the tune of Rs. 9.55 crores (for the 70 MLAs) . The inference that the Congress MLAs annual asset acquisition works out to an average of Rs. 1.19 crores for each year of the five year period.. If this is further simplified, it works out to be Rs. 24 lakhs per month.
The JDS MLAs, who were also in the opposition, comes next with an average asset of Rs 4.43 crores (for 26 MLAs analysed), with the yearly asset acquisition rate coming to Rs. 89 lakhs, averaging around Rs, 7 lakhs per month. The ruling BJP legislators come next with average asset of Rs. 4.30 crores, (112 legislators analysed) which means an annual average of Rs. 86 lakhs and monthly average of little more than Rs. 7 lakhs. The independents did not lag behind in the rat race for money, with an average of Rs. 1.48 crores (for 6 MLAs), which works out at Rs. 30 lakhs per year and Rs. 2.50 lakhs per month.
The average assets of a minister in Karnataka assembly 2008 is Rs. 6.96 crores, and 14 out of the 24 ministers analysed were also ministers in Karnataka 2004 assembly and the average assets for these ministers was Rs. 91 lakhs. The growth in average assets per minister was 665% from 2004 to 2008, says the report. . 24 ministers cabinet ministers are crorepatis. Mr. Anand Singh of BJP from Vijaynagara constituency has the highest assets (Rs. 88.66 Crores) among the Karnataka cabinet ministers followed by V. Somanna of BJP elected as MLC in 2010 with assets worth Rs.10.99 Crores followed by Asnotikar Anand Vasant of BJP from Karwar Constituency with assets worth Rs. 10.39 Crores among the Karnataka cabinet ministers.
With number of crorepatis being in the list of the contestants for the 2013 elections, the number of the crorepatis by the end of the tenure of the next assembly is expected to increase further and if the same trend continues, may be one day, we may land in a situation where it would be daunting for person even to entertain any thought of contesting elections, if he does not belong to the crorepati club.
The asssets declared by the MLAs in their affidavits have raised several interesting questions especially in the context of the fact that the average monthly emoluments of MLA in Karnataka which is inclusive of salaries and allowances put together comes to Rest, One lakh.. Even if the MLAs were to keep the entire amount separately, the money available for any investment by the end of the tenure is Rs. 60 lakes. How under the circumstances, they have been able to amass money and build the assets which is far disproportionate to their normal emoluments. Even if one were to take cognizance of the fact that some of them having other sources of income, it does not satisfactorily answer questions about how they could raise huge money for building up assets to the tune of Rs. 5.98 crores in five year period of their tenure. This extra income that the legislators have been getting obviously is a product of their “extra curricular” activities. The feeling all along was that the BJP legislators, half of whom are new comers have been doing nothing except to make money. But from the study, it is evident, that even the Non BJP legislators are no better and as a matter of fact they are a step ahead of their colleagues. This raises doubts about the bonafides of their income, especially in the context of the dubious reputation Karnataka has that it is one of most corrupt states in the country and this needs to be gone into in the interest of the which needs to be gone into in the interest of probity in public life.
It has been a mystery as to why the Election Commission has suddenly turned silent on the question going into the antecedents of the assets amassed by the legislators in such an unprecedented dimension. Is it under pressure not to initiate any step or is it unwilling to stick out its neck? It is very difficult to say. It is possible to ferret out the truth only if the works in coordination with the other agencies like the Income Tax Department. Nobody knows why it has not been able to do. (Posted on April 23,2013 @ 1.15 pm)
(Author is a Senior Journalist and Columnist. Mobile: +91 94480 74872 Email :madan.mm@gmail.com)
