Analysis of candidates fielded by the BJP, Congress and JDS shows the parties’ scant regard for transparency and the electorate for the 12 May Assembly polls as some of their candidates have serious criminal cases against them.

According to the Association for Democratic Reforms, an independent body which conducted the analyis, the time has come for political parties to disclose their process of candidates’ selection.

Likewise, the BJP, Congress and the JDS should stop cocking a snook at the electorate and instead take a stand against the misuse of money, power and bribing of voters.

The seriousness of the problem is evidenced by the fact that the Congress party is fielding 48 candidates who have criminal cases against them. What’s more, of these 23 have serious criminal cases against them.

Similarly, of the 218 names that the party has announced, 91 per cent of the 134 recontesting candidates are crorepaties with average assets exceeding Rs 28 crores.

The BJP, however, does not fare any better. From the available list of 154 candidates released so far, as many as 30 have criminal cases against them of which at least 19 fall in the category of “serious criminal cases”.

Again out of the total list, 97 candidates who are recontesting on a BJP ticket, are crorepaties with average assets of Rs 8 crores.

Likewise, in the case of JDS, 29 per cent of the recontesting candidates have serious criminal cases against them.

Further, out of the current list of 126 candidates, as many as 46 are crorepatis who are recontesting and have average assets of Rs 14 crore.