UP polls: BJP has maximum candidates with criminal background contesting in first phase, says ADR

With only a week left for the voters to exercise their ballot power in the first phase of UP assembly elections, it has emerged that a total of 168 (20 per cent) out of of 836 candidates in upcoming UP Polls have criminal cases against them.

As many as 29 (40 per cent) out of 73 candidates contesting on Bharatiya Janata party in first phase of Uttar Pradesh elections have criminal cases against them, reveals an analysis by Uttar Pradesh Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms.

Not far behind is Bahujan Samaj Party with 28 out 73 candidates booked for criminal offences, followed by Rashtriya Lok Dal with 19 out of 57 candidates. Incumbent Samajwadi party has fielded 15 ( out of 51)candidates with criminal background while its ally Congress has given tickets to 6 ( out of 25 ) candidates.

The ADR and Uttar Pradesh Election Watch studied the the self-sworn affidavits of 836 out of 839 candidates from 98 political parties to the election commission.

When it comes to serious criminal charges that includes, kidnapping, rape,murder, BSP leads the pack with 26 (out of 73) of its candidates contesting in first phase of assembly elections, followed by BJP with 22 ( out of 73). RLD comes a distant third with 15 (26%) out of 57 candidates followed  13(26%) out of 51 candidates from SP. Also 34 (12%) out of 293 Independent candidates have declared serious criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits. 

Also over 222 candidates have declared that they have assets over Rs 2 crore with Indian National Congress's Nazir Ahmad ( Agra) topping the chart with a property of over Rs 211 crore followed by BJP's Satish Kumar Sharma ( Mathura) with a declared asset of over Rs 114 crore.

Party wise 24 candidates of Congress have an average asset of Rs 13.18 crore followed by 73 candidates of BJP averaging Rs 7.4 crore.