MP polls: Candidates range from wealthy 'crorepatis' to people facing criminal charges

The percentage of crorepati (multi-millionaire) candidates in the ongoing Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls has gone up to 24 per cent from 19 per cent in the last elections, and the percentage of those with criminal cases has also risen by one percentile point to 17 per cent, shows an analysis.

The percentage of women candidates has also risen to 9 per cent from 7 per cent the last time, an analysis of affidavits of 2,716 candidates by the NGO Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) showed.

It could not analyse 183 candidates as their affidavits were either badly scanned or complete affidavits were not uploaded on the Election Commission of India (EC) website.

Out of the 2,716 candidates, 656 (24 per cent) are crorepatis. In 2013 Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections, out of 2,494 candidates, 472 (19 per cent) were crorepatis.

Out of the 2,716 candidates analysed, 464 (17 per cent) candidates have declared criminal cases registered against them. In 2013, out of the 2,494 candidates analysed, 407 (16 per cent) had declared criminal cases against them.

As many as 295 (11 per cent) candidates have declared serious criminal cases. Of these, 16 candidates have declared cases related to murder (IPC Section 302), while 24 candidates have declared cases related to attempt to murder (IPC Section 307).

Six candidates have declared cases related to kidnapping, such as kidnapping or abducting in order to murder (IPC Section 364) and kidnapping or abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine person (IPC Section 365).

Also, 20 candidates have declared cases related to crime against women (IPC Section 498A), and assault or use of criminal force against a woman with intent to outrage her modesty (IPC Section 354).

Among the major parties, 65 (30 per cent) out of the 220 candidates analysed from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), 108 (48 per cent) out of 223 candidates analysed from the Congress, 43 (21 per cent) out of 206 candidates analysed are from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and 37 (17 per cent) out of 214 candidates analysed from BSP have declared criminal cases against them in their affidavits.

Among the major parties, 38 (17 per cent) from the BJP, 55 (25 per cent) from the Congress, 30 (15 per cent) from the AAP, and 22 (10 per cent) from the BSP have declared serious criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.

Out of the 2,716 candidates, 656 (24 per cent) are crorepatis. In 2013 Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections, out of 2,494 candidates, 472 (19 per cent) were crorepatis.

Among the major parties, 179 (81 per cent) from the BJP, 173 (78 per cent) from the Congress, 52 (24 per cent) out of 214 candidates analysed from the BSP, 38 (18 per cent) from the AAP and 17 (35 per cent) from the Samajwadi Party have declared assets worth over Rs 1 crore.

The average of assets per candidate contesting in this Assembly elections is Rs 1.73 crore.

Party wise, the average assets per candidate for 220 BJP candidates analysed is Rs 6.23 crore, for 223 Congress candidates is Rs 8.62 crore, 206 AAP candidates have average assets of Rs 67.72 lakh and 214 BSP candidates have average assets worth Rs 1.16 crore.

Seven candidates have declared zero assets. A total of 544 (20 per cent) candidates have not declared their PAN details.

This time, 235 (9 per cent) women candidates are contesting. In 2013, 180 (7 per cent) out of 2,494 candidates analysed were women, the ADR said.

Also, 1,365 (50 per cent) candidates have declared their educational qualification to be between 5th and 12th standard, while 1,095 (40 per cent) candidates have declared having an educational qualification of graduation or above.

As many as 155 (6 per cent) candidates have declared to be "just literate" and 54 (2 per cent) candidates are illiterate.

(With inputs from agencies.)