CHENNAI: Though the Congress’s Kanyakumari candidate, H Vasanthkumar, is the richest, DMK nominees average the maximum assets among candidates of all parties contesting the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu.

The average value of DMK candidates’ assets is Rs25.91 crore, followed by that of BJP candidates at Rs21.59 crore, according to an analysis of the nominations by the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR).

Of the 24 candidates contesting on the DMK symbol, 23 are crorepatis but the average is high as some of them are also big businessmen – such as S Jagathrakshagan, who has shown total assets of Rs114 crore, and the independent contesting on the DMK symbol, T R Parivendhar, with declared assets of Rs97.27 crore.

"The main reason for the DMK having the highest average is also due to the presence of second generation party candidates. Many of them are doctors, engineers and other professionals and their income is high. Some of our alliance party candidates are also big businessmen. In all these cases the income is high and due to that the assets are also high," said DMK spokesperson T K S Elangovan. 

In the AIADMK, all the candidates contesting are crorepaties and their assets average Rs14 crore. Of the 845 candidates, the ADR has analysed affidavits of 802 — there are 184 crorepaties and most of them belong to registered and recognised parties.

The top two are Vasantkumar, who has declared Rs417 crore in assets, and the AMMK candidate in South Chennai E Subaya, with Rs237 crore.

A total of 101 candidates have criminal cases against them. Congressand PMK have 50% of their candidates with criminal cases followed by DMK with 46%.

There are 15 candidates who are crorepatis but have not declared income details.