Karnataka billionaires bank on politics, cash in

REDDY FOR THE ACTION: Infrastructure baron Kuppendra Reddy has assets amounting to Rs 180 crore

Other stories in the section:

20 kids trapped inside school for over a week

The school principal fears the food shortage could trigger a food war.

• UN body calls for probe into Kashmir killings

• MNS can't hold people to ransom, court warns Raj

Featured Blog

Rajdeep Sardesai

Bhiwani to Beijing: Lessons from a journey

Featured Slideshows

Related Headlines

powered by

• Karnataka polls: It's Bangalore vs Karnataka
• Karnataka elections: Poll highlights
• Karnataka Assembly polls likely to be held in May

Keywords: Karnataka, Assembly Elections 2008

Bangalore: Infrastructure baron Kuppendra Reddy, who owns half the buildings housing software companies in Bangalore, has a new passion these days. He's contesting the Assembly polls.

"Business means that 24 hours I am not making money. And, I have made sufficient. Now, I have one ambition with the force of the people, with the pressure of the people, the people want me to go to politics. I have done enough to my family. Now, I can work for 10-12 years in my constituency as well as the state,” he says.

While he may want to work among the masses, being in politics means he'll rub shoulders with many a crorepati.

Reddy has assets amounting to Rs 180 crore but many politicians with meagre beginnings too are now worth a few crore each. Among them,

• Former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy who has declared assets worth Rs 49.72 crore
• Congressman V Somanna's family assets amount to Rs 21 crore
• HD Revanna's family has assets amounting to Rs 10 crore
• BJP leader Pramila Nesargi's family also owns assets amounting to Rs10 crore
• Former Congress MLA Dinesh Gundu Rao owns property worth Rs 20 crore

Even as figures pour in, Bangaloreans can only hope some of the wealth amassed by the richie-rich filters down to those who really need it.