Chennai: Several ministers and MLAs, including chief minister M K Stalin and deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin have reported a decline in declared wealth over five years. Stalin’s disclosures in his poll affidavit show a drop from 7.2 crore worth personal assets in 2021 to 6.2 crore in 2026. His son, Udhayanidhi’s wealth has dropped by nearly 25%, per his ECI declaration.In Stalin’s case, the drop was largely due to his delinking from the land owned by Anjugam Publications in Chennai. The 1,825sqft plot in Kodambakkam houses the office of DMK’s mouthpiece ‘Murasoli’. In 2024, Union minister L Murugan alleged that the land was classified as Panchami land – assigned to Scheduled Castes and transferable only within the community. DMK denied this, stating the property was acquired from one Parvathi Nair, who purchased it from a German firm. Udhayanidhi’s dip in assets follows his exit from Red Giant Movies, now run by his son Inban Udhayanidhi (the additional director), while his wife Kiruthiga is an investor.Senior DMK ministers EV Velu and I Periyasamy have declared their current assets were worth 13.2 crore and 5.9 crore, respectively, less than their declared wealth during previous election. An analysis of their affidavits showed they had dissociated themselves from firms that faced searches by central agencies, reflecting a drop in total wealth.In 2021, Velu invested 2.8 crore in Arunai Motor Finance and Kavin Products. After I-T searches in 2023 at locations linked to Arunai Groups and his family, the present affidavit does not mention the two entities. Similarly, Periyasamy had declared investing in Irullapa Mills in his 2021 affidavit. His 2026 affidavit does not have any reference to the mill, which is now under ED scrutiny. Also, Periyasamy’s fleet had reduced to just one car – a Toyota Glanza, while in 2021 he had an Innova and Ecosport.Former AIADMK minister Sellur K Raju, also saw his wealth halve to about 50 lakh. Filings show he is no longer associated with JJ Pharma and JJ Medicals, where he invested close to 80 lakh before 2021. Interestingly, the assets of the spouses of Stalin, Udhaya and Periyasamy have increased over the same period. This was the case with AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami too. Though his filings show his wealth remained largely the same (47 lakh in 2021 and 50 lakh in 2026) his wife’s wealth has risen from 2.8 crore in 2021 to 5.6 crore. A farmhouse in Erode was among the new additions.
