Third phase:22% Mah nominees have serious cases; 71 crorepatis

As many as 54 out of 245 candidates in the contest for third phase of Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra, whose affidavits have been analysed, are facing serious criminal cases.

Of the 245 analysed candidates, 71 (29 per cent) nominees of various parties, including the Shiv Sena, the BJP, the BSP, the NCP and the Congress, are crorepatis.

A total of 14 constituencies, including high-profile seats like Pune, Baramati and Madha, are scheduled to vote on April 23 in the penultimate phase in the state, which sends 48 MPs to Lok Sabha.

The Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) has analysed the poll affidavits of 245 out of total 249 nominees who are in the fray.

The 14 seats going to polls are: Madha, Pune, Aurangabad, Jalna, Ahmednagar, Baramati, Hatkanangle, Kolhapur, Raigad, Jalgaon, Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, Raver, Sangli and Satara.

According to the ADR, out of 245 candidates, 75 (31 per cent) have declared criminal cases against themselves while 54 nominees (22 per cent) have declared serious criminal cases.

While two candidates have been convicted by courts, four others are facing cases related to murder, it said.

Besides, five candidates have declared cases related to attempt to murder against themselves and as many candidates have declared that cases related to crime against women are pending against them.

Four candidates have declared cases related to kidnapping and seven others the cases related to robbery and dacoity.

One of the contestants has declared a case related to communal disharmony and hate speech.

Also, 6 (46 per cent) out of 13 candidates from Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi, 5 (39 per cent) out of 13 candidates from BSP, 5 (63 per cent) out of 8 candidates from BJP, 5 (71 per cent) out of 7 candidates from NCP, 3 (50 per cent) out of 6 candidates from Shiv Sena and 3 (60 per cent) out of 5 candidates from the Congress have criminal cases lodged against thems, as per the ADR.

As far as serious criminal cases are concerned, 3 (23 per cent) out of 13 candidates from the VBA, 4 (31 per cent) out of 13 candidates from the BSP, 2 (25 per cent) out of 8 candidates from the BJP, 5 (71 per cent) out of 7 candidates from the NCP, 3 (50 per cent) out of 6 candidates from the Shiv Sena and 1 (20 per cent) out of 5 candidates from the Congress have declared serious criminal cases, it stated.

The analysis said that 12 out of the 14 constituencies are red alert constituencies, where three or more number of contestants have declared criminal cases.

Out of the 245 analysed candidates, 71 (29 per cent) are crorepatis.

Among the major parties, 8 (100 per cent) out of 8 candidates from BJP, 8 (62 per cent) out of 13 candidates from Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi, 7 (100 per cent) out of 7 candidates from NCP, 6 (100 per cent) out of 6 candidates from Shiv Sena, 5 (100 per cent) out of 5 candidates from the Congress and 3 (23 per cent) out of 13 candidates from BSP have declared assets worth more than Rs 1 crore.