Karunanidhi the Croseus among candidates

Chennai, Apr 17 (UNI) DMK President M Karunanidhi, who filed his nomination for the Chepauk seat today, is the richest candidate so far to contest the May eight Assembly election as he has declared assets worth about Rs 26.53 crore.

The octagenarian leader, who had held the Chief Minister's post four times, declared in an affidavit that he and his wives - Dayalu Ammal and Rajathi Ammal - owned movable and immovable property worth about Rs 26.53 crore, the highest declared by any candidate so far.

AIADMK supremo and Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, who filed her papers for Andipatti on Saturday last, declared assets worth about Rs 25 crore. However, the value of her jewellery seized by police and given to the custody of the court was not determinable.

Mr Karunanidhi had declared that Ms Dayalu Ammal had a deposit of Rs 12.50 crore and Ms Rajathi Ammal Rs five crore in Indian Bank.

The DMK chief had a deposit of Rs five crore in the same bank.

Further, Ms Rajathi was the proprietor of 'Tamil Kani Pathipagam', a publishing house worth Rs 20.76 lakh and held a share of Rs 5.47 lakh in the city-based 'Royal Furniture.' The 2,294 sq ft land and building at CIT colony here, which was in the name of Ms Rajathi, was worth Rs 3.02 crore. While Ms Dayalu had jewellery worth Rs five lakh, Ms Rajathi had old jewellery worth Rs 5.50 lakh, he said.

Mr Karunanidhi also declared that he owned land and building at Gopalapuram and 14.30 acre of land at Agarathirunallur in Thanjavur district, which he could enjoy till his lifetime. Both these properties were not valued.

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