Dr Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, the country's richest candidate in this election, is candid about money and elections and the link between them. He also feels that his status as the richest candidate should not count.
"I don't know why you guys are focusing so much on the money aspect," Dr Pemmasani told NDTV in an exclusive interview. "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.
Dr Pemmasani is the candidate from Chandrababu Naidu's Telugu Desam Party, which is back in the NDA fold after around six years. He is contesting from Guntur, where the party's last candidate was also well-off.
But two-time MP Galla Jayadev has pulled out of any further contests, citing business commitments and "troubles" created by the Andhra Pradesh government and the Centre.
Asked why he decided to contest, Dr Pemmasani said it was about giving back to society.
"I don't need to come because I have probably all the comforts that anybody could ask for in this world. The reason I came is mainly because of I want to give it back to the society... Once you have that ideology, you can patiently listen to most human problems and solve most of them... As an entrepreneur, you know how to prioritise," he said.
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