No choice: Some city voters will have to choose between criminals
Three candidates each in 22 city constituencies have police cases against them
MUMBAI: When you cast your vote today, many of you will have to choose your pick from a bunch of candidates who have criminal cases pending against them.
Of the 36 constituencies in the city, three or more candidates fielded by major political parties in 22 Assembly segments have criminal cases against them, a report by the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) has revealed.
Some of them have serious charges such as murder, molestation, rioting, kidnapping, while others have been booked for staging agitations or violating laws. Sixty-two candidates from major political parties fielded in the city have such serious criminal records.
Maximum numbers of candidates with criminal cases have been fielded by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (25), followed by Shiv Sena (24).
While Sena’s Sada Sarvankar has charges of attempt to murder, Nationalist Congress Party’s Kaptan Malik, Sunil Raut (Shiv Sena), Tukaram Kate (Shiv Sena) have cases of outraging the modesty of women, states the report. Some of the candidates like Bala Nandgaonkar (MNS) have serious charges such as kidnapping.
Around 156 constituencies in the state have three or
more candidates from major parties with criminal charges. The Sena tops the list of maximum candidates with criminal record in the state at 61%, followed by MNS (54%) and BJP (53%).
Citizens are upset with the situation. “We are asked to choose from equally bad options. A local representative must be an ideal leader with a clean image and right values for the youth,” said James John, an AGNI activist.