The richest MPs in the Rajya Sabha
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The Rajya Sabha has 250 members. It was intended to be the House of elders, based on the Westminster model. Traditionally industrialists and business magnates have favoured the Upper House as means of furthering their political ambitions.
A list compiled by the Association for Democratic Reforms reveals that the Rajya Sabha has its fair share of millionaires (crorepatis).
Rahul Bajaj
The man who gave India its wheels and successfully managed to increase his production during the licence-raj of the 70's and 80's. His grand father Jamnalal Bajaj was the treasurer of the Congress party in pre-independence India.
Rahul Bajaj has been listed with assets totaling 300 crores. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2006 from Maharashtra as an independent candidate who was supported by the Nationlist Congress Party and the Shiv-Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party combine. He won the seat that was vacant after Pramod Mahajan passed away.
Image: Rahul Bajaj
MAM Ramaswamy -The winner of 500 derbys
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Initially he was supposed to be elected to the Rajya Sabha in the mid 90's on a Congress ticket, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagham had even recommended his name as a nominated member in the upper house, but his name was struck down by then President Shankar Dayal Sharma.
Ramaswamy is the maternal uncle of home minister P Chidambaram and runs Chettinad Cements and Anna university.
He represents the Janata Dal (Secular) from Karnataka in the Rajya Sabha.Image: Dr. MAM Ramaswamy
T Subbarami Reddy: The host with the most
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A film producer who has been a member of both houses of Parliament, Reddy is known for the parties he hosts, which are the talk of the town in Delhi, Hyderabd and Mumbai.
Reddy is a Congress MP from Andhra Pradesh. He also headed the Gayatri Group, a diversified conglomerate that has interests in construction and sugar.
Reddy has also served as minister of state in the ministry of Mines in the previous United Progressive Alliance government.
Image: T Subbarami Reddy
Jaya Bachchan
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She was in the news recently when close friend and political mentor Amar Singh was dismissed from the Samajwadi Party. Bachchan also had to resign from the Rajya Sabha previously over the office of profit issue.
Although she lives in Mumbai, Jaya Bachchan represents UP in the Rajya Sabha.
Image: Jaya Bachchan
Anil Lad
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His father, Heeroji Lad was the MLA for the district.
Lad was formerly with the the BJP but switched to the Congress in 2006 and was elected to the Rajya Sabha in that year.
Image: Anil Lad
Amar Singh
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An industrialist who has interests in chemicals and hydro-electricity, Singh was always in the news for hobnobbing with filmstar Amitabh Bachchan and industrialist Anil Ambani.
Image: Amar Singh
Mahendra Mohan Gupta: The newspaper baron
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Image: Mahendra Mohan Gupta
Dr Karan Singh-The last King of Kashmir
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A member of the Rajya Sabha from Delhi since 1996, Singh has also served as Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University , Delhi and Benaras Hindu University. He is a former Indian Ambassador to the Unted States.
Image: Dr Karan Singh
Dr Akhilesh Das Gupta- The education baron
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He represents the Bahujan Samaj Party in the Rajya Sabha after switching parties. He was a minister of State for mines in the previous United Progressive Alliance government.
Image: Dr Akhilesh Das Gupta
Parimal Nathwani- Mukesh Ambani's nominee
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A close confidant of Reliance Industries owner Mukesh Ambani, Nathwani was eleceted to the Rajya Sabha from Jharkhand as an Independent.
Nathwani held several snior positions in Reliance and is the point man of the company in Gujarat. His election is believed to be a counter weight to the Samajwadi Party's Amar Singh who seen as being close to Anil Ambani.
Image: Parimal Nathwani
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