The sixth phase of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, slated to be held on March 4, will see over 50% graduates contesting. According to election watchdog Association for Democratic Reforms, with 635 candidates in the fray in 49 constituencies, 205 are graduate degree holders, while 125 hold a post-graduate degree.
Eight candidates have doctorates. 229 have some level of secondary school education, 38 are literate and three are illiterate.
24 of the 49 constituencies have three or more candidates with criminal cases against them. 126 candidates have criminal charges and 109 have serious criminal charges.
The total number of candidates with criminal cases against them has now come up to 744, and those with serious criminal cases is 609.
Wealthy candidates in this phase form 25% of the total number. The richest is Shah Alam Urf Guddu Jamali, a BSP candidate from Mubarakpur with over Rs. 118 crore.
The next two places too go to BSP candidates Vinay Shankar from Chillupar and Aijaj Ahmed from Nautanwa. Mr. Shankar has over Rs. 67 crore and Mr. Ahmed over Rs. 52 crore.
Three candidates — two independents and one from the Rashtriya Lok Dal — have declared zero assets. They are Rakesh contesting from Chauri Chaura, Munna from Gopalpur and Tej Bahadur Singh from Mubarakpur.
An independent, Vishnu Prabhakar, and NCP candidate Yatinjay Raj, have each declared assets worth Rs. 5,000.
The elections in Uttar Pradesh, as evidenced so far, has remained a bastion for men, with this phase too, contributing to the abysmal gender split. The sixth phase has only 60 women contesting, and this brings the total tally so far up to 398 women candidates. Only one candidate from the third gender has contested until now.
