Votes are in: It's win-win for the rich in Karnataka assembly elections

The wealth disparity between those who get elected and the rest is widening

In an interview leading up to his last election in 2004, former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee rued the role of money power. “Jantantra, dhantantra mein badal rahan hain,” he said (democracy is being replaced by rule of the rich).

Karnataka, which voted in assembly elections on May 10, bears out what Vajpayee said. The wealth of the average winner in Karnataka assembly elections has been rising over time, shows an analysis of data from the Delhi-based Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).

The median winner had total assets worth Rs 1.5 crore in 2008. It rose to Rs 9.7 crore