NEW DELHI: Opposition BJP has stolen a march over its rivals even before the polls, but raising eyebrows. It can boast of fielding the maximum number of tainted candidates for the Lok Sabha polls from Delhi with five of its seven candidates facing criminal charges. The party's East Delhi candidate Maheish Girri tops the list with four criminal cases pending against him.
According to data analyzed by the Association for Democratic Reforms, 15% of the 150 candidates contesting from Delhi have criminal cases pending against them. Besides Girri, his party colleagues who are also included in the list are Harsh Vardhan, Udit Raj, Parvesh Sahib Singh and Ramesh Bidhuri. Aam Aadmi Party's Chandni Chowk candidate Ashutosh, too, has one case of criminal defamation pending against him. Two of the seven Congress candidates - Ajay Maken and Mahabal Mishra — have cases against them.
Of the 150 candidates, 13 face serious criminal cases including kidnapping, criminal intimidation and extortion. BSP's Mohammad Shakeel Saifi faces a case for assault or use of criminal force against women while Congress' candidate from West Delhi Mahabal Mishra and Independent candidate from North-West Delhi Sunil Chhikara face charges of kidnapping.
Giri has been charged with defiling a place of worship, promoting enmity among people, making statements against national interest and causing public mischief. The analysis is based on information given by the candidates in affidavits submitted before the Election Commission and TOI has not independently verified it.
Delhi also has its share of rich candidates with 33% crorepatis in the fray. All Congress candidates are in the crorepati club, joined by six each from BJP and AAP. Congress candidates, that include three union ministers, are miles ahead boasting average assets of Rs 28.29 crore. BJP candidates have average assets of Rs 12.60 crore while AAP candidates are a distant third with average assets of Rs 3.01 crore. However, it is BJP candidate Meenakshi Lekhi who has reported the highest income of Rs 3 crore per year (including her family's income) among all candidates.