BENGALURU: When political parties were distributing tickets for the 2018 assembly polls in May this year, it was a close race between candidates from three dominant money-spinning sectors — real estate, education and mining.A study has confirmed that Karnataka MLAs are richer than their counterparts in other states. An analysis by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), an NGO, and National Election Watch has shown that about 90% of the total 222 MLAs have the highest average annual income of Rs 1.11 crore. While there are nearly 65 MLAs with real estate riches, about 30 have mining and granite businesses background and another 25, largely from Congress, run education institutions.The real estate sector that flourishes in and around Bengaluru now stands head and shoulders above the mining sector of Ballari. In Bengaluru, of 28 MLAs including one from Anekal, 27 have real estate background. Prominent MLAs among these include industries minister KJ George, Vijayanagar MLA and former minister M Krishnappa and Bomannahalli MLA Sathish Reddy. Among the Ballari mining businessmen are BJP leader B Sreeramulu and Congress MLAs Anand Singh and B Nagendra.The educationists include deputy chief minister G Parameshwara, ministers D K Shivakumar, R V Deshpande, former minister Shamanur Shivashankarappa and BJP president B S Yeddyurappa and legislative council chairman Basavaraj Horatti.Sandeep Shastri, a political analyst, said: “The ADR findings clearly indicate two factors: First, ticket distribution in parties is linked to the financial clout of candidates. Second, winnability (in many cases) is decided by the amount a candidate is able to spend. Both these dimensions have wider (and not very positive) indications for ticket distribution criteria.”Gururaja Budhya of Karnataka Election Watch said the fact that MLAs from Bengaluru have topped the list strengthens the narrative of how moneybags are given priority in elections. “It is also partly because MLAs these days are getting huge pay packets,” Budhya added.Prashanth Sambargi, a partner at Mars Realty, revealed political parties in Karnataka are largely controlled by real estate, education tycoons, mining, sugar and granite moguls. “They have entered the arena either to protect their wealth or to influence policy making to boost their businesses,” he said.For long, politics in Karnataka was controlled by the liquor lobby. However, the clout of the lobby subsided especially in early 2000 when the government established the Karnataka State Beverages Corporation Limited.Granite, education and mining lobbies rose to prominence, but the downfall of the Reddy brothers weakened the mining lobby. With real estate prices soaring, the lobby has now become powerful.