Introduction (00:07)

Hello everyone, my name is Bipasha Nath, and I am a Program Associate at ADR. Welcome to our new podcast on Analysis of Criminal and Financial Background Details of Candidates, and MPs and MLAs since 2004 in West Bengal.

Overview and Relevance of Topic (00:27)

In the first week of March, the Election Commission of India announced an eight-phase schedule for West Bengal State Assembly election - an uncommon development which puts the state in parallel with Bihar, by recording unique changes to electoral patterns during the pandemic. Due to multiple divisions of phases in several constituencies, voting is expected to take place in those locations on separate days, thus highlighting the unprecedented feature of this election. As reported by The Indian Express, this prolonged election schedule will not only accommodate Covid-19 protocols, but also comes as a response to various festivities being observed by the people, as well as to serve as a buffer for movement of security forces. While the ECI’s decision has been hailed as a necessary measure by the BJP, the Trinamool Congress believes it to be in alignment with the former’s election campaign strategy.

In this election, among the known candidates, are some new entrants; the Left Front, led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist), for instance, has welcomed younger candidates in the front-lines. With majority in the candidates’ list featuring those below the age of 40 years, the Left’s focus has been on employment generation, better standards of living, and the issue of brain-drain.

While the political prowess and commitment to electoral promises made by elected representatives in the state are yet to be seen, a detailed analysis of criminal and financial background details of candidates and MPs/MLAs since 2004 in West Bengal, offers an insight into leadership aspects, that the new government is set to inherit. 

Key Findings (02:09)

The findings of ADR’s report are based on affidavits submitted by the candidates prior to 2006, 2011 and 2016 West Bengal Assembly Elections and 2004, 2009, 2014 and 2019 West Bengal Lok Sabha Elections and Bye elections

Analysis of 6,163 candidates who contested either Parliamentary or State assembly elections, and 1,081 MPs/MLAs who have held seats either in the Parliament or State assembly since 2004 reveals the following matters -

1. A total of 1,121 or 18% out of 6,163 candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves; 833 or 14% out of 6,163 candidates analysed have declared serious criminal cases against themselves; and out of 1,081 MPs/MLAs analysed since 2004, 310 or 29% have declared criminal cases against themselves, with 238 (22%) having serious criminal cases.
2. The average assets of 6,163 candidates analysed since 2004 is 1.16 crores; and the same for 1,081 MPs/MLAs is Rs.1.04 crores.
3. The average assets of 310 MPs/MLAs (analysed since 2004) with declared criminal cases is 89.86 Lakhs and for 238 MPs/MLAs with declared serious criminal cases has been Rs. 88.95 Lakhs.
4. 180 or 23% out of 774 candidates who have contested on BJP tickets since 2004 have declared criminal cases against themselves; 138 or 35% out of 393 candidates who have contested on INC tickets since 2004; 276 or 31% out of 882 All India Trinamool Congress candidates; 156 or 22% out of 716 CPI(M) candidates; 19 or 4% out of 458 BSP candidates; 8 or 15% out of 54 CPI candidates; and 146 or 12% out of 1,252 Independent candidates have declared criminal cases.
5. 132 or 17% out of 774 candidates who have contested on BJP tickets since 2004 have declared serious criminal cases against themselves; 94 or 24% out of 393 candidates on INC tickets since 2004; 202 or 23% out of 882 AITC candidates; 112 or 16% out of 716 CPI(M) candidates; 14 or 3% out of 458 BSP candidates; 5 or 9% out of 54 CPI candidates; and 119 or 10% out of 1,252 independent candidates have declared serious criminal cases.
6. 17 or 59% out of 29 MPs/MLAs elected on BJP tickets since 2004 have declared criminal cases against themselves; 55 or 43% out of 127 MPs/MLAs elected on INC tickets since 2004; 171 or 32% out of 530 AITC MPs/MLAs; 41 or 15% out of 274 CPI (M) MPs/MLAs; and 6 or 60% out of 10 Independent MPs/MLAs have declared criminal cases.
7. 14 or 48% out of 29 MPs/MLAs elected on BJP tickets since 2004 have declared serious criminal cases against themselves; 40 or 31% out of 127 MPs/MLAs elected on INC tickets since 2004; 131 or 25% out of 530 AITC MPs/MLAs; 32 or 12% out of 274 CPI (M) MPs/MLAs; and 6 or 60% out of 10 Independent MPs/MLAs have declared serious criminal cases
8. Among the national parties, since 2004, average assets of 393 candidates from INC has been 1.13 crores, while 774 BJP candidates have declared average assets of Rs. 64.36 lakhs. Average assets of 882 AITC candidates is Rs. 1.30 crores; that of 716 CPI(M) candidates is Rs. 35.46 lakhs; and average assets of 1252 Independent candidates is Rs. 3.40 crores.
9. Among the national parties, since 2004, average assets of 127 MPs/MLAs from INC has been 1.18 crores, while 29 BJP MPs/MLAs have average assets of Rs. 2.27 crores; that of 530 AITC MPs/MLAs is Rs. 1.55 crores; the same for 274 CPI(M) MPs/MLAs is Rs. 22.37 lakhs; and average assets of 10 Independent MPs/MLAs is Rs. 21.67 lakhs.

Notably,

1. Out of 6,163 candidates analysed since 2004, 5,042 candidates have not declared any criminal cases, whereas 1,121 candidates declared criminal cases against themselves.
2. Out of the 1,081 MPs/MLAs analysed since 2004, there have been 771 MPs/MLAs who have not declared any criminal cases, whereas 310 MPs/MLAs have declared criminal cases against themselves.
3. There are only 15% chances of winning an election for those with a clean record.

4. There is a 28% chances of winning an election for those with criminal records.

Further,

1. 3,210 out of 6163 candidates who have contested elections since 2004 (or 52% of the candidates analysed) have a graduate degree or above. 579 or 18% of the candidates with graduate or above degrees have declared criminal cases. And 399 or 12% of the candidates with graduate or above degrees have declared serious criminal cases.
2. 2,953 out of 6,163 candidates who have contested elections since 2004 (or 48% of the candidates analysed) are 12th Pass and below. 542 or 18% of the candidates who are 12th Pass and below have declared criminal cases. And 434 or 15% have declared serious cases.
3. 173 or 23% out of the 741 MPs/MLAs with declared criminal cases have graduate degree or above and 120 or 16% have declared serious criminal cases.
4. 137 or 40% of the 340 MPs/MLAs who are 12th Pass and below have declared criminal cases and 118 or 35% have declared serious criminal cases.

It has also been found that,

1. The average assets of candidates analysed who have contested elections since 2004 with graduate or above degree is 66.75 lakhs; and those who are 12th Pass and below, is Rs. 1.70 crores.
2. The average assets of MPs/MLAs analysed since 2004 with graduate or above degree is 1.10 crores; and those who are 12th Pass and below, is Rs.93.69 lakhs.

Lastly, with regard to gender analysis,

1. Out of the 6,163 candidates analysed (who have contested elections since 2004), only 623 or 10% are women.
2. 72 or 12% out of the 623 women candidates who have contested in elections since 2004 have declared criminal cases and 44 or 7% declared serious cases. 1,049 or 19% of the 5,540 male candidates declared criminal cases and 789 or 14% declared serious criminal cases.
3. 26 (17%) out of 152 women MPs/MLAs (who have been elected in elections since 2004), have declared criminal case and 13 (9%) have declared serious criminal cases. 284 or 31% of the 929 men MPs/MLAs declared criminal cases and 225 or 24% declared serious criminal cases.
4. The average assets of male candidates who have contested elections since 2004 is 49.95 lakhs and the average asset of women candidates is Rs. 7.05 crores.
5. The average assets of male MPs/MLAs since 2004 is 1.05 crores and the average asset of women MPs/MLAs is Rs. 99.71 lakhs.

Conclusion (12:20)

Needless to say, the issue of money and muscle power features heavily in the state’s politics. It also frequently witnesses controversial elections - according to the National Crime Records Bureau,  West Bengal tops the country list for political murders as per the 2019 data. As rightly noted by India Today, “during the 1960s and 70s, (violence manifested through) a three-way fight between the Congress, Left and Naxalites. By the turn of the century, it was between CPI(M) and Trinamool Congress. In the last few years, it has been between the Trinamool and BJP”.

However, as can be seen in West Bengal, impassioned election periods do not necessarily indicate the zeal of elected representatives. All eyes are now directed to the east, as the people gear up to choose between the young or the seasoned, the right or the left.

(13:11)

With this, we come to an end to our podcast. If you wish to learn more about ADR’s contributions in this matter, make sure you subscribe to the podcast on our website: adrindia.org or write to us at [email protected] with your feedback. We will be back in two weeks with another amazing episode. So stay tuned, and thank you for listening.

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