There are more crorepatis and candidates with criminal charges in the fray for the February 7 Delhi Assembly elections than there were for the December 2013 polls.
As per a report released by Association for Democratic Reform on Friday, the number of candidates with more than Rs.1 crore in assets has gone up from 33 per cent in 2013 and 23 per cent in 2008 to 34 per cent this time round.
ADR founder member Prof. Jagdeep Chhokar said: “It looks like money power and muscle power have not gone anywhere.”
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There are 230 crorepatis among the 673 candidates in the running for the 70 seats. Shiromani Akali Dal candidate from Rajouri Garden in West Delhi Manjinder Singh Sirsa tops the list with over Rs. 239 crore in assets.
The Congress leads the pack with 84 per cent of its candidates being crorepatis, followed by the BJP at 72 per cent and the Aam Aadmi Party at 63 per cent. Interestingly, 39 per cent of the candidates have not provided income tax details.
Meanwhile, the number of candidates with criminal cases against them rose from 16 per cent in 2013 to 17 per cent this year.
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Those with serious charges against them, however, have gone down from 12 per cent to 11 per cent. As per ADR, serious charges include electoral offences, murder, assault and crimes against women.
The BJP holds the dubious distinction of fielding the most candidates with pending criminal charges, with 39 per cent of its 70 contenders facing cases. The AAP comes in second with 33 per cent and the Congress at third with 30 per cent of their candidates facing charges.
There is one candidate with a murder case and eight who have been charged with crimes against women.