Patna,(BiharTimes): About 26 per cent of the candidates contesting in the first phase of election of Bihar (April 10) have criminal cases pending against them.

According to Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Bihar Election Watch (BEW) 21 out of 80 candidates have criminal cases against them. Twelve out of these 21 have serious criminal charges against them, including cases related to attempt to murder, crime against women and theft.

The affidavits cited by the ADR and BEW said Pradeep Kumar Joshi of Rashtra Sewa Dal from Karakat has the maximum 17 cases followed by Kaushal Yadav of Janata Dal (United) from Nawada
(12) and Raja Ram Singh of CPI (ML) from Karakat three serious charges pending against them.

Three (75%) out of four BJP candidates, three (50%) out of six JD (U) candidates and two (33%) out of six Aam Admi Party candidates have serious criminal cases against them.

Four candidates have cases related to attempt to murder pending against them. They are Joshi from Karakat, Raja Ram from Karakat, Kaushal from Nawada and Niranjan Kumar of CPI (ML) from Gaya constituency.

Former IAS officer K P Ramaiah of Janata Dal (United) from Sasaram constituency has case related to crime against woman pending. He has submitted that a case related to assault or criminal force against a woman with intent to outrage her modesty (Section 354 IPC) was filed against him.

Rajiv Kumar, the spokesman of BEW said, Joshi from Karakat has declared that a case relating to causing miscarriage without the woman’s consent was pending against him.

Karakat Aurangabad and Nawada have at least three candidates from various political parties who have declared that criminal cases are pending against them.

Twenty-five candidates (31%) are crorepatis. The two from Congress and all four from BJP and RJD have declared assets worth more than Rs one crore. Two (33%) out of six candidates from AAP and four (67%) out of six from JD (U) are crorepatis.

The average assets per candidate of the first phase is Rs 2.56 crore. Among major parties, the average assets for two Congress candidates are Rs 34.10 crores, for four BJP candidates Rs 5.59 crores, for six JD (U) candidates Rs 4.29 crore, while the average assets of six AAP candidates are Rs 70.21 lakhs and of six BSP candidates Rs 29.23 lakhs.

Eight candidates have assets worth more than Rs five crore.
Interestingly, Upendra Ravidas, Jamui (JMM) Rs 42 crore, Meira Kumar, Sasaram (Cong) Rs 38 crore and Nikhil Kumar, Aurangabad (Cong) Rs 29 crore are three richest candidates. Ironically the first two are Dalits.
Imran Ali, Karakat (Independent) Rs 7,000, Mohammad Dilbas Ansari, Karakat (Ind) Rs 70,000 and Manoj K Singh, Jamui (Ind) Rs one lakh are the three poorest candidates in the fray for the poll to be held on April 10. All the three are Independent candidates