86% Cong, 79% BJP candidates crorepatis; 30% from AAP have criminal cases

Around 11 per cent or 126 candidates contesting this year's Chhattisgarh Assembly elections have declared criminal cases against themselves, according to a study by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), which analysed 1,178 candidates. In the 2018 polls, out of the 1,256 candidates analysed, 145 or around 12 per cent, had declared criminal cases against themselves. Around 19 per cent of BJP, 17 per cent of Congress and 30 per cent of AAP's candidates have criminal cases. 
 

On the other hand, 299 or 25 per cent of total candidates are crorepatis. In 2018, out of 1,256 candidates, 285 or 23 per cent were crorepatis, according to ADR analysis. Data shows 86 per cent Congress, 79 per cent BJP and 41 per cent AAP candidates are crorepatis.
 

 

The state will see 155, or 13 per cent, female candidates this year, compared to 125 in 2018, which was 10 per cent of the total.

The average assets per candidate stands at Rs 1.87 crore against Rs 1.68 crore in 2018.

ADR, which is a non-profit organisation that analyses election funding of parties, and also criminal, financial, and educational background of candidates contesting elections, further said that of the total candidates, 72 or 6 per cent have declared serious criminal cases. In 2018, this figure came in at 98 or 8 of the total. The ADR defines ‘serious criminal cases’ as those which are non-bailable or where the prison term is five years or more. 
 

The ADR analysis has identified 21 or 23 per cent of seats as ‘Red Alert’ constituencies. It defines such seats as those where three or more contesting candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves. It had identified 18 constituencies as such in 2018 -- 20 of the total.