EXPLAINED | 35% Crorepatis, 328 With Criminal Cases, A Look At Records Of Candidates In Fray For Phase 1 Bihar Polls

As announced by the Election Commission of India, the assembly election in Bihar will be conducted in three phases beginning from October 28 and counting of votes will take place on November 10.

(Image: PTI)

Patna: The state of Bihar is all set for the first phase of the upcoming assembly elections on 28th October. As many as 1,064 candidates hailing from different political parties have filed nomination from 71 constituencies across 16 districts of the state. In an analysis done on the candidates contesting the first phase of the election, the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) states that around one third of the first phase candidates have assets worth more than Rs. 1 crore. The study showed that, out of the 1,064 candidates in the first phase of election, 375 are 'crorepatis' (millionaires). Among the major parties, the ADR analyzed that 39 of the 41 candidates from Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), 31 out of 35 from Janata Dal United (JDU), 24 out of 29 candidates from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) , 30 out of 41 from Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), 14 out of 21 from Congress and 12 out of 26 candidates from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) have declared criminal and serious criminal cases against themselves in affidavits. While 29 candidates have declared crime against women, out of 29, 3 candidates have declared cases related to rape. 21 candidates in fray have declared cases related to murder. 61 out of the 71 constituencies that will go for polling in the first phase Assembly elections in Bihar are declared red alert constituencies. Red alert constituencies are those where 3 or more candidates have criminal cases pending against them. Twenty-three per cent or 244 candidates have declared serious criminal cases against themselves. Serious criminal cases are non-bailable offences with over five years of imprisonment. Coming to financials, the report said that that 39 of the 41 candidates analysed from RJD, 31 out of 35 from JD(U), 24 out of 29 candidates from BJP, 30 out of 41 from LJP, 14 out of 21 from Congress and 12 out of 26 candidates from the BSP had assets worth more than Rs 1 crore. The average asset per candidate for the upcoming phase 1 of the Bihar assembly election is Rs. 1.99 crore. RJD’s Anant Kumar Singh from Mokama constituency is the richest candidate with assets worth Rs. 68 crores. Congress' Gajanand Shahi from Sheikhpura is the second richest candidate with assets worth Rs 61 crore. Manorma Devi of JD(U) from Gaya is third richest candidate in the fray with Rs 50 crore in assets. However, 5 candidates have declared zero assets. Out of 1,064 candidates in fray, around 11 per cent (114) are female candidates. The youngest candidate ages 25, while the oldest is 82 years of age. Constituencies such as Banka, Munger, Sheikhpura, Mokama, Arrah, Buxar, Mohania, Bhabua, Sasaram, Dehri, Aurangabad, Bodh Gaya, Gaya Town, Chakai and others will go for polling in first phase of Bihar Assembly elections.