CHENNAI: Of the 232 newly-elected MLAs, there are 170 crorepatis who own assets worth Rs 1 crore and more, statistics show. Among them, 91 AIADMK MLAs and 73 DMK MLAs have declared assets worth over Rs 1 crore.
Congress has five MLAs and IUML one candidate who have assets of Rs 1 crore and above. The richest candidate in the list is Congress party’s Nanguneri MLA H. Vasanthkumar who declared assets worth Rs 337 crore.
Second in the list is DMK ‘s Anna Nagar candidate M.K. Mohan who has assets worth more than Rs 170 crore. Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa declared assets worth Rs 113 crore.
Among the contestants, Congress had the highest average for its candidates, Rs 16.88 crore per candidate. AIADMK candidates had average assets worth Rs 4.83 crores. DMK nominees had average assets worth Rs 8.19 crore.
Out of the 997 candidates among all parties and independent candidates in this election, there were 553 crorepatis.
Winning margins less than Nota in 22 constituencies
At least 22 candidates have won by margins that are lesser than the number of NOTA votes in their constituencies.
In 14 constituencies AIADMK candidates won, but with a margin that is less than Nota polled. In eight seats, DMK had won with less margins than Nota votes polled in respective constituencies. Had there been no Nota, the scales would have tilted either way, noted a political observer.
While Appavu of DMK lost by 49 votes in Radhapuram to AIADMK rival, the Nota votes totalled 1,821 in the Assembly segment. Similarly, in Kattumannarkoil constituency where VCK chief Thol Thirumaavalavan lost by 87 votes to AIADMK rival, Nota had registered 1025. Thirumaavalavan’s name sake who contested in the seat too scored 289 votes.
Other constituencies that had more Nota than the winning margin of the candidates are Anna Nagar, Avadi, Perambur, Thiruporur, Thirumayam, Tirunelveli, Thiruvidaimarudhur, Kovilpatti, Madhathukulam, Kinathukadavu, Karur, Kadayanallur, Chidambaram, Cheyyur, Bargur, Tenkasi, Peravurani, Pappireddipatti and Ottapidaram.
