The BJP has the highest number of candidates with criminal cases contesting in Phase 5 of the election in West Bengal. The Trinamool has the richest ones as seven constituencies are set to go to the polls on Monday. The constituencies are Hooghly, Howrah, Uluberia, Sreerampur, Barrackpore, Bongaon and Howrah.
Six of the BJP’s seven candidates have criminal cases recorded against them, while three each of the Trinamool and the CPI(M) have similar cases registered against them. Two Congress candidates also featured in the list, released by the Association for Democratic Reforms.
The data also showed that Trinamool candidates — with an average property of “₹5 crore plus”— are the richest; BJP is distant second with an average property size of “₹85 lakh plus.” Trinamool’s lawyer-MP Kalyan Banerjee is the richest among the candidates, with a declared property of more ₹17 crore, the ADR report noted.
