AHMEDABAD: Nearly five Gujarat MPs out of the 12 who are all set to the Lok Sabha for the second time have seen their wealth increase by more than 100 per cent in 2024 from 2019 found a report.
It can also be noted that 23 out of the 26 winning MPs from Gujarat are millionaires, and five have a criminal history.
A report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) reveals that the wealth of five Gujarat MPs has significantly increased by 112 to 273 percent over the past five years. Mansukh Vasava, a seven-time winning BJP MP from Bharuch, witnessed the highest increase at 273 per cent.
In 2019, Vasava's assets were valued at 68.35 lakhs, which have grown to 2.54 crores in 2024, marking an increase of 1.86 crores.
Vasava attributes his income to his Lok Sabha salary, bank interest, and other sources.
Jamnagar Woman MP Poonam Madam is second in the line, with her assets increasing by Rs 104 crore. According to the ADR report, her wealth rose from Rs 42.73 crore in 2019 to Rs 147.70 crore in 2024.
While the wealth of many Gujarat BJP MPs is on the rise, Gujarat state president and Navsari MP C.R. Patil has saw a decline in his wealth.
His wealth has decreased by 11 per cent from 2019 to 2024. In 2019, Patil's assets were valued at Rs 44.60 crore, but by 2024, they had dropped to Rs 39.49 crore, marking a reduction of Rs 5.11 crore.
In 2024, 23 out of the 26 winning MP candidates from Gujarat are millionaires. This compares to 24 millionaire MPs in 2019 and 21 in 2014.
Additionally, criminal charges have been filed against five of them, including Gandhinagar MP Amit Shah, Junagadh MP Rajesh Chudasama, Rajkot MP Purushottam Rupala, Chhota Udaipur MP Jasu Rathwa, and Congress MP from Banaskantha, Ganiben Thakor.
In 2024, criminal charges have been registered against 5 out of the 26 winning candidates from Gujarat. This marks an increase from 2019, when 4 MPs had criminal records, but a decrease from 2014, when 9 MPs had a criminal history.
According to the ADR report, 46% of the winning candidates (future MPs) in 2024 have a criminal history, with 31% facing serious charges. In comparison, the percentage of MPs with a criminal history was 43% in 2019, 34% in 2014, and 30% in 2009.