The rich and the tainted in Bengal phase 3, 4 polls

KOLKATA: As many as 128 candidates in the fray for the third and fourth phases of the Bengal assembly polls have criminal cases registered against them, while 106 candidates are millionaires.

Affidavits reveal that 61 of the 418 candidates in the third phase and 45 of the 345 candidates in the fourth phase are multi-million aires.

According to West Bengal Election Watch, 80 aspirants in the third phase and 48 candidates in the fourth phase have declared pending criminal cases, including offences like murder and rape, against them. Of the 80 candidates with criminal cases, 57 face charges of murder, rape, attempt to murder and kidnapping. Among them, Trinamool Congress (TMC) has 18 candidates, followed by the Congress with 14, CPI(M) with 12, BJP and BSP with 11 and two respectively.

Sixty-two constituencies spread across Burdwan, Kolkata, Murshidabad and Nadia districts will go to polls in the third phase on April 21, while 49 constituencies in Howrah and the North 24- Par gan as will go to polls in the fourth phase on April 25. In the fourth phase, TMC has fielded 15 candidates with criminal cases, BJP has seven and Congress and C PI( M) have six each.

The TMC also heads the multimillionaires’ list in the third phase with 27 candidates, followed by BJP with 14 and Congress with 11.

BJP’s Somabrata Mandal from Shyampukur constituency in Kolkata is the wealthiest candidate in the third phase, with assets over ` 28.65 crore, while TMC’s Jangipur nominee Jakir Hussain stands second with ` 21.95 crore. The average worth of assets held by the 418 candidates in the third phase is ` 74.76 lakh.

In the fourth phase, TMC has fielded 19 crorepati candidates, followed by the BJP with eight and the Congress with five.