A whopping 23 per cent of Lok Sabha candidates and 29 per cent of Assembly candidates, who are in the first-phase poll-fray, have criminal backgrounds.
Again, 19 per cent each of Lok Sabha and Assembly candidates have serious criminal cases against them.
This was revealed in an analytical report released by the Odisha Election Watch (OEW) at a Press Meet here on Sunday. Former Chief Secretary Sahadeb Sahoo, former DGP AB Tripathy, OEW State coordinator Ranjan Mohanty were present, among others.
The report was prepared basing on revelations made by candidates in their nomination papers.
According to the report, out of 26 candidates for four Parliamentary seats, six (23%) have criminal cases against them and five of them (19% of the total) have serious criminal cases.
Two of the BJP’s four nominees, two of the Congress’ four candidates, the lone CPI(ML) Red Star candidate have criminal cases. Further, two each of the
BJP and Congress candidates and the lone Communist candidate have serious criminal offences.
Out of 189 (of total 191) Assembly candidates analysed, 55 (29% have declared their criminal records.
The number of candidates with serious criminal cases is 35. Among the parties, eight out of BJP’s 28, 17 out of Congress’ 27, nine of BJD’s 28 and two of the BSP’s 22 candidates have criminal cases.
Further, eight BJP candidates, 10 Congress, six BJD and one BSP candidates have serious criminal cases.
On asset point, Brahmapur LS Congress candidate V Chandraskehar Naidu has shown highest assets of Rs 36 crore followed by BJP Nabarangpur nominee Balabhadra Majhi Rs 8, 74,71,475 and BJP Koraput candidate Rs 4,19,44,825.
On educational qualification point, out of 26 LS nominees, one candidate has mentioned to have passed Class V, two Class VII, four Class X, five Class XII, six Graduate, six Graduate professional and two candidates are Post Graduates.
Out of 189 Assembly candidates, 49 are crorepatis top three of whom are BJP Darmagarh candidate Anant Pratap Deo (Rs 27,66,86,955), Congress Brahmapur nominee Lingaraj Choudhury (Rs 17,71,60,702) and BJD Digapahandi candidate Surjya Narayan Patro (Rs 16,68,06,837).