Article Today, Hyderabad:
The Chief Ministers of the Telugu states have emerged at the top in two very different categories. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu leads the list of wealthiest CMs in the country, while Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy tops the chart for the most number of criminal cases. A new report released by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) on Friday revealed these striking contrasts. The findings are based on the affidavits submitted by Chief Ministers during the last elections. The details of the report with in this Link https://adrindia.org/
Naidu Richest Among CMs
Chandrababu Naidu remains the richest Chief Minister in India with declared assets worth Rs. 931 crore. His wealth, ADR notes, is comparable to that of leading corporate heads. He is followed by Pema Khandu, the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, who declared assets of Rs. 332 crore. Notably, Naidu and Khandu are the only two Chief Ministers in the country whose wealth crosses the billion-rupee mark. Across India, the 30 Chief Ministers together declared assets worth Rs. 1,632 crore, of which Naidu alone accounts for more than half. Telangana CM Revanth Reddy, with assets valued at Rs. 30 crore, ranks seventh on the list.
Mamata Declared Poorest
On the other end of the spectrum, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is the poorest CM in India. She declared assets of only Rs. 15 lakh. This includes Rs. 69,000 in cash, Rs. 13.5 lakh in bank deposits, and nine grams of gold ornaments. She does not own a house or any land. ADR points out that despite her high office, Banerjee continues to live like a middle-class woman. Her assets in 2016 were valued at around Rs. 30 lakh but have since declined. Following her on the list of poorest CMs is Omar Abdullah of Jammu and Kashmir, with assets worth Rs. 55 lakh. Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan stands third, with assets of Rs. 1 crore.
Revanth Tops in Criminal Cases
Telangana CM Revanth Reddy faces the highest number of criminal cases among his peers. According to ADR, there are 89 cases registered against him, mostly related to his political struggles during previous regimes. These, the report observes, also shaped his rise to power. Tamil Nadu CM M.K. Stalin follows with 47 criminal cases, while Chandrababu Naidu is third with 19. It is striking that all three CMs with the highest number of criminal cases belong to the southern states.
Key Insights from ADR Report:
- The ADR report highlights several notable trends. Twelve Chief Ministers in India face criminal cases, out of which ten are charged with serious offences such as attempt to murder, kidnapping, and bribery. In total, 40% of the country’s CMs have criminal cases pending against them, while the remaining 60% have none.
- The study also shows that only two CMs are billionaires. Two are women. And Two are doctors: Tripura CM Manik Saha, a professor of dental surgery, and Goa CM Pramod Sawant, an Ayurvedic doctor.
- In terms of education, eight Chief Ministers hold postgraduate degrees. Naidu is among them. At the same time, one CM has studied only up to Class 10, and three others have completed only intermediate education.
- On the age profile, twelve Chief Ministers fall in the 51–60 age bracket, making it the largest group. Eight CMs are between 41 and 50 years, while six are aged 71 to 80, the highest among older leaders.
