An analysis by Association of Democratic Reforms and Odisha Election Watch has found that 26 out of 67 candidates with declared criminal cases won the last election to the Odisha Legislative Assembly against runners-up with a clean background.
Among the 146 seats analysed in the report, there were 38 winners with a clean background who defeated a candidate with declared criminal cases. Of these 38 winners, six won with more than 25% margin of votes.
As many as 45 candidates won with 50% and above of the total votes polled in their constituencies, while 101 candidates won with less than 50% of the total votes polled.
According to the report, out of 112 winners of the Biju Janata Dal, 68 won with less than 50% of total votes polled.
A total of 37 out of 95 crorepati candidates won against non-crorepati runners-up. Three of these 37 candidates won with more than 20% margin of votes. There were 22 non-crorepati winners who defeated crorepati runners-up. Two of them won with more than 25% of vote share.
Of the 13 women winners, Latika Pradhan of the BJD won from the Kabisuryanagar seat with the highest vote share of 62.87% and 33.38% margin of victory.
