The Hindu : Karnataka News : BJP candidate declares assets in dollars

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 26, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Karnataka

Karnataka

BJP candidate declares assets in dollars

Vishwa Kundapura

Bagepalli’s two-time MLA lives in a leased house

Sonne Gowda

KOLAR: Bonds and debentures worth $ 1,70,000, vehicle worth $ 60,000, flat and apartment worth $ 1,75,000 and so on. These figures are not pertaining to any person contesting in the U.S. They are the details of the assets of C. Sonne Gowda, BJP candidate for Kolar constituency.

A green card holder of the U.S., Mr. Sonne Gowda, brother of veteran Janata Pariwar leader and former Minister the late C. Byre Gowda, has emerged richest amongst the candidates of Kolar constituency. As per the affidavit filed along with the nomination papers, Mr. Sonne Gowda’s properties including cash, jewellery, bonds etc., amounting to approximately Rs 2.5 crore. One of his flat in the U.S. is valued at about $ 1,75,000 and his wife owns a house worth $ 1 lakh. Mr Sonne Gowda’s income includes a bond of $ 50,000 in the USA Government Bank.

Engaged in designing and construction of bridges and steel construction industry in the U.S. since three decades, Mr. Sonne Gowda frequently flies between the U.S. and India. He claims that he entered the political to serve the people of rural areas. “Since I had the experience of working for my elder brother the late Byre Gowda in elections, I am not a novice to politics,” Mr. Sonne Gowda told The Hindu.

According to the details furnished in the affidavit, the former MLA Srinivas Gowda’s assets exceed more than Rs 1.22 crore. Mr. Gowda has liability to the tune of Rs. 31 lakh in the form of a loan. Mr. Gowda is in the fray as a Congress candidate seeking election for the fourth consecutive term.

While this is the case of rich candidates, there are some interesting revelations too. G.V. Sriram Reddy, a two-time legislator and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) candidate in Bagepalli constituency in Chickaballapur district does not have a house of own. Except a government site at Bangalore allotted under MLAs’ quota and a vehicle purchased on loan, Mr. Reddy has no other property. Though seven acres of land of joint family belongs to him, Mr. Reddy does not enjoys ownership of it yet, since it was not partitioned among the four brothers.

Mr. Reddy, who fought four times earlier and won twice from Bagepalli lives in a leased house. R. Varthur Prakash, Bangalore Zilla Panchayat member and rebel Congress candidate, has declared that he possess Rs. 1 lakh cash and his wife Rs. 50,000. He has bonds worth Rs.1 lakh, and owns a car.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka