Candidates in Coimbatore district seem to be a wealthy lot with AIADMK contestants topping the assets list. Seven out of the nine AIADMK candidates are crorepatis. The DMK and BJP are not far behind. Most parties tend to back wealthy candidates so it's no surprise that these contestants are wealthy.
Although candidates need to declare their assets, it's anybody's guess what their main sources of income are. RTI activist K Ramamurthy says that many of these politicians are public representatives for the party and earn money through corruption. "When a contractor approaches an MLA to float a tender for a civic project, the MLA first discusses his cut, before awarding the contract to him. The cut can sometimes be as high as 30% of the project cost," said Ramamurthy. Politicians also tend to make money from real estate.
Candidates also earn money from bribes paid by those seeking government jobs. "Right from the appointment of a bus driver to that of a vice-chancellor, there is corruption. Ministers get a share in government projects. Kangaroo courts are a major source of income for public representatives," said All India Trade Union Congress President, A M Selvaraj.
Jayalalithaa loyalist and senior leader of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) Pollachi V Jayaraman is the richest among the 154 candidates contesting this assembly election. Jayaraman is worth 20.61 crore. The only two AIADMK candidates who are not crorepatis are OK Chinnaraj who is worth 63.21lakh and Kasthuri Vasu worth 50.14 lakh.
The DMK candidate from Kavundampalayam, R Krishnan alias Payya Gounder, has declared assets worth 14.15crore, of which 13.5crore are immovable assets. R Tamil Mani, the DMK candidate from Pollachi has declared assets worth 9.87crore, of which 8.7crore is immovable assets.
All India Trade Union Congress president A M Selvaraj says that MLAs and ministers earn from the bribes paid by candidates seeking state government jobs. "There is corruption in appointment of a bus driver to that of a vice-chancellor. Then the MLAs get a share in government projects," said Selvaraj.
Although candidates need to declare their assets, it's anybody's guess what their main sources of income are. RTI activist K Ramamurthy says that many of these politicians are public representatives for the party and earn money through corruption. "When a contractor approaches an MLA to float a tender for a civic project, the MLA first discusses his cut, before awarding the contract to him. The cut can sometimes be as high as 30% of the project cost," said Ramamurthy. Politicians also tend to make money from real estate.
Candidates also earn money from bribes paid by those seeking government jobs. "Right from the appointment of a bus driver to that of a vice-chancellor, there is corruption. Ministers get a share in government projects. Kangaroo courts are a major source of income for public representatives," said All India Trade Union Congress President, A M Selvaraj.
Jayalalithaa loyalist and senior leader of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) Pollachi V Jayaraman is the richest among the 154 candidates contesting this assembly election. Jayaraman is worth 20.61 crore. The only two AIADMK candidates who are not crorepatis are OK Chinnaraj who is worth 63.21lakh and Kasthuri Vasu worth 50.14 lakh.
The DMK candidate from Kavundampalayam, R Krishnan alias Payya Gounder, has declared assets worth 14.15crore, of which 13.5crore are immovable assets. R Tamil Mani, the DMK candidate from Pollachi has declared assets worth 9.87crore, of which 8.7crore is immovable assets.
All India Trade Union Congress president A M Selvaraj says that MLAs and ministers earn from the bribes paid by candidates seeking state government jobs. "There is corruption in appointment of a bus driver to that of a vice-chancellor. Then the MLAs get a share in government projects," said Selvaraj.