Meet TDP's Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, wealthy doctor turned politician contesting from Guntur with assets worth Rs 5,705 crore

As the Lok Sabha elections progress, the spotlight falls on Dr Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, the Telugu Desam Party's candidate for the Guntur Lok Sabha seat in Andhra Pradesh. Dr Pemmasani's candidacy stands out not only for his political aspirations but also for his staggering wealth, making him the richest contestant in the fourth phase of the elections, with assets worth Rs 5,705 crore.

According to his affidavit, Telegu Desham Party's Andhra Pradesh's Guntur candidate Dr Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani has Rs 55,98,64,80,786 movable assets, Rs 1,06,82,46,752 immovable assets and 57,05,47,27,538 as total assets.

Early Life and Background

Dr Pemmasani's journey is marked by academic excellence and professional achievements. He completed his MBBS from the Dr NTR University of Health Sciences in 1999 and went on to receive an MD in internal medicine from the Geisinger Medical Centre in Pennsylvania, USA, in 2005. Despite settling abroad, Dr Pemmasani maintains close ties with his native place in Andhra Pradesh.

Political Foray
Dr Pemmasani's entry into politics is not recent. He has been actively involved in the Telugu Desam Party's activities, particularly in the non-resident Indian cell. His decision to contest in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections reflects a deeper commitment to serve his constituency and contribute to the political landscape of Andhra Pradesh.

Professional Success
Apart from his medical and political engagements, Dr Pemmasani is renowned for his entrepreneurial ventures. He is the founder and CEO of UWorld, an online learning platform that has been instrumental in helping students prepare for various competitive exams. His entrepreneurial acumen was recognized when he won the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2020.

Wealth and Assets
Dr Pemmasani's wealth is staggering, with investments in over 100 companies and properties in India and the US. His movable assets include two Mercedes cars, one Tesla, and a Rolls Royce.

Despite his financial success, Dr Pemmasani faces significant liabilities amounting to Rs 1,038 crore. Moreover, a pending FIR against him for IPC offences related to illegal payments in connection with an election and bribery raises questions about his integrity and ability to serve as a responsible political leader.

In a recent interview with NDTV when asked about his wealth, Dr Pemmasani said, "Unfortunately, these days, politics has become an expensive process."

"Not that is that is the change. Actually, we all need to discuss about it, right? Not common people cannot contest in any of these elections," he added.

Political Contest
Dr Pemmasani faces stiff competition in the Guntur Lok Sabha seat from the YSRCP's Kilari Venkata Rosaiah, the incumbent MLA from Ponnur. The previous elections saw a narrow victory for the TDP's Galla Jaydev over the YSRCP's M Venugopal Reddy by a margin of 4,205 votes.

Wealthiest Candidate in West Bengal

In West Bengal, the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections sees 21 candidates in eight constituencies with assets exceeding Rs 1 crore. Among them, BJP's Amitra Roy emerges as the richest candidate in Krishnanagar, with total assets worth Rs 554 crore. Trailing behind him are TMC's Asansol candidate Shatrughan Sinha and Baharampur candidate Yusuf Pathan, with assets worth Rs 210 crore and Rs 45 crore respectively.