Even the third phase of Bihar Assembly elections will see a large number of candidates with criminal cases against their name. Out of all the 808 candidates contesting for 50 seats spread across six districts of central and western parts of the state, 215 (27%) have declared criminal cases against themselves.
Rashtriya Janata Dal leads the pack with 17 (68%) out of its 25 candidates facing criminal cases as per the affidavit analysed by Association for Democratic Records (ADR). The Bharatiya Janata Party follows it closely as 21 (62%) out of its 34 candidates face criminal charges while 10 (56%) out of 18 Janata Dal United candidates have such a record.
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Out of all the 808 candidates contesting for 50 seats spread across six districts of central and western parts of the state, 215 (27%) have declared criminal cases against themselves.
Other parties are no better with three (43%) out of seven Congress candidates and four (40%) out of 10 Lok Janshakti Party nominees have criminal records. Smaller parties like Communist Party of India (CPI) has seven (37%) out of 19 candidates, 9 (19%) out of 47 Bahujan Samaj Party candidates, 12 (39%) out of 31 candidates from Samajwadi Party, along with 13 (48%) out of 27 candidates of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (Liberation) CPI(ML) (L) and 62 (22%) out of 276 Independent candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.
Party wise candidates with serious criminal cases: 11 (32%) out of 34 candidates from BJP, 6 (32%) out of 19 candidates from CPI, 8 (17%) out of 47 candidates from BSP, 8 (44%) out of 18 candidates fielded by JD(U), 10 (32%) out of 31 candidates from SP, 16 (64%) out of 25 candidates of RJD, 2 (29%) out of 7 candidates fielded by INC, 3 (30%) out of 10 candidates of LJP along with 9 (33%) out of 27 candidates of the CPI(ML) (L) and 46 (17%) out of 276 Independent candidates have declared serious criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.
Red Alert constituencies with three of more candidates with criminal charges: 41 constituencies in the third phase of Bihar assembly elections have three or more candidates with declared criminal cases. Mokama and Digha constituencies with nine candidates have the highest number of candidates who have self-declared criminal cases against themselves.
ADR analysis reveals that independent candidate from Bikram in Patna district Ramesh Sharma is the richest contestant in third phase with an asset of more than Rs 928 crore followed by another independent from Barh Dr Kumar Indradev who has declared assets worth more than Rs 111 crore. BSP leader from Bakhtiyarpur Akhilesh Kumar has assets of more than Rs 61 crore.
Party wise crorepati candidates: 26 (76%) out of 34 fielded by BJP, 13 (28%) out of 47 candidates of BSP, 13 (72%) out of 18 candidates from JD(U), 5 (71%) out of 7 candidates from Congress, 20 (80%) out of 25 candidates from RJD, 16 (52%) out of 31 candidates fielded by SP, 13 (54%) out of 24 candidates of JAP(L), 7 (70%) out of 10 candidates of LJP and 52 (19%) out of 276 Independent candidates have declared assets worth more than Rs 1 crore.
Average assets: The average of assets per candidate contesting in the third phase of Bihar assembly elections is Rs 2.40 crore.
Party wise average assets: Among major parties, the average assets per candidate for 34 BJP candidates is Rs 2.06 crore, 47 BSP candidates have average assets of Rs 2.21 crore, 18 JD(U) candidates have average assets worth of Rs 2.43 crore, 7 Congress candidates have average assets worth Rs 5.88 crore, 25 RJD candidates have average assets worth of Rs 4.66 crore, average assets of 31 SP candidates are Rs 1.59 crore, 24 JAP(L) candidates have average assets of Rs 2.13 crore, average assets of 10 LJP candidates are Rs 2.62 crore and 276 Independent candidates have average assets of Rs. 4.59 crore.
Low asset candidates: 2 candidates out of all the 808 candidates, Yugeshwar Manjhi, an Independent candidate from Asthawan constituency and Kumar Rajiv, another Independent candidate from Fatwah constituency, have declared zero assets in their affidavits.