Lok Sabha elections' first phase kicks off tomorrow. From Naveen Jindal to Janardhana Reddy, here are the names of key industrialists-turned-politicians
As the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections draw near, the political picture is buzzing with the entrance of several prominent figures from the business world. From industrialists to real estate players, many big names from diverse businesses are entering the election ring. Here is a list of the top business players contesting in the upcoming elections.
1. Naveen Jindal
The billionaire industrialist and philanthropist, Naveen Jindal dominated media headlines as he joined BJP last month. He is the chairman of Jindal Steel & Power, a company having roots in various sectors, including steel, mining, and infrastructure. He is also the Chancellor of O.P. Jindal Global University. (JGU)
Before joining BJP, Jindal was associated with the Congress party. He will be representing the Kurukshetra constituency against Aam Aadmi Party's Sushil Gupta.
2. Pallavi Dempo
Pallavi Dempo is the first female BJP candidate to stand for elections from the southern region of Goa. She is the Executive Director of Dempo Industries Ltd. The company has a presence across segments like real estate, food processing, newspaper publishing and shipbuilding.
Pallavi heads the media and real estate arms of the business. She holds an MBA degree from MIT, Pune, and is married to Shrinivas Dempo. He is the chairman of Dempo Group of Companies.
3. Janardhana Reddy
Janardhana Reddy, also known as the 'Ballari King' for his luxurious lifestyle, astonished many after he announced the merger of his party KRPP (Kalyana Rajya Pragati Paksha) with BJP. Reddy, a politician and mining magnate, has faced intense scrutiny over his business activities multiple times. Last month, he, along with his wife Aruna Lakshmi, had joined the saffron party.
"BJP was always there in my blood, but due to some reasons I had gone out, but today I feel I have come back," he stated during the time of the merger.
4.Praveen Khandelwal
BJP's Praveen Khandelwal, a Delhi-based businessman, is the founder and Secretary General of the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), a trade association advocating for the interests of business owners and traders. He will be representing Delhi's smallest yet key constituency, Chandni Chowk.
Khandelwal has been a member of the GST Panel and has actively voiced concerns about the impact of foreign e-commerce giants on local businesses in the Indian market.
5.Mangal Prabhat Lodha
Speculations around Mangal Prabhat Lodha's potential candidacy for the South Mumbai seat under the BJP banner, are well present in media. He is the founder of Macrotech Developers, which is a prominent residential real estate firm listed on both the domestic bourses.
South Mumbai is often considered a posh and well-established area, largely due to the presence of major financial institutions such as the NSE and BSE. Even the headquarters of India's apex bank, RBI, is present in that area.