158 crorepatis, 61 with criminal cases in poll fray

NEWDELHI: A total of 158 crorepati candidates are in the fray for the HP assembly elections while 61 have declared criminal cases against them, says a report.

Himachal Pradesh Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) have analysed the self-sworn affidavits of all 338 candidates. “Out of the 338 candidates analysed, 158 (47%) are crorepatis. The average assets per candidate contesting in the assembly elections 2017 is ₹4.07 crore,” Delhi-based thinktank ADR said in a report released on Wednesday.

Among party-wise crorepati candidates, 59 out of 68 candidates from Congress, 47 of 68 from the BJP, 6 of 42 from the BSP, 3 of 14 from the CPI (M), 1 of 3 from the CPI and 36 of 112 independents have declared assets worth more than ₹1 crore, it said.

The report added among major parties, the average assets per candidate for 68 Congress candidates is ₹8.56 crore, for 68 BJP candidates is ₹5.31 crore and for 42 BSP candidates is ₹46.78 lakh).

The ADR report said, “Out of 338 candidates analysed, 61 have declared criminal cases against them adding 31 have declared serious criminal cases.”

Six from the Congress, 23 from the BJP, three from the BSP, 10 from the CPI(M) have declared criminal cases against them in their affidavits, it said. PTI

ASSOCIATION FOR DEMOCRATIC REFORMS SAYS RICHEST CANDIDATE IS BJP’S BALVIR SINGH VERMA (TOTAL ASSETS OVER ₹90 CR), FOLLOWED BY CONG’S VIKRAMADITYA SINGH (ASSETS OVER ₹84 CRORE)