New Delhi: Of the candidates contesting the upcoming elections in Telangana, 23% of them have declared criminal cases against them. In absolute numbers, this translates to 521 out of 2,290 total candidates who are in the fray, according to the latest report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).
The latest figure is a jump from the previous assembly election held in 2018 when 21% (368 candidates) of the total 1,777 candidates had declared criminal cases against them.
Out of the total 2,290 candidates in the fray, 15% (353) have ‘serious’ criminal cases pending against them this time around. In the 2018 assembly election, the number stood at 13% (231) out of a total of 1,777 candidates. A ‘serious’ criminal case is one where an offence attracts a maximum punishment of five years or more. These offences are also non-bailable. Offences under this category include crimes against women, kidnap, rape, murder, among others.
Among the major parties in the fray, 60 (51%) out of 118 candidates analysed from the Congress, 54 (49%) out of 111 candidates analysed from the BJP, 34 (29%) out of 119 candidates analysed from the BRS, 28 (26%) out of 107 candidates analysed from the BSP, six (32%) out of 19 candidates analysed from the CPI(M), seven (17%) out of 41 candidates analysed from the All India Forward Bloc, and three (33%) out of nine candidates analysed from AIMIM have declared serious criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.On the other hand, the assets of 103 MLAs who are seeking re-election have increased by an average of 65% between 2018 and 2023. “Of the 103 re-contesting MLAs, assets of 90 MLAs (87%) have increased ranging from 3% to 1331% and assets of 13 MLAs (13%) have decreased ranging from 1% to 79%,” the report said.The average assets of these MLAs during the 2018 assembly elections was Rs.14.44 crore, which jumped to Rs 23.87 crore in 2023, the report stated.The 90 re-contesting MLAs from the BRS have seen the greatest average increase in asset value among the major political parties in the election, at 68.56%. In particular, the wealth of BRS MLA Pailla Shekar Reddy rose from Rs 91.04 crore in 2018 to Rs 227.51 crore in 2023 – which is an increase of Rs 136.47 crore or 150%.Of the total candidates this time around, 25% (580) candidates are crorepatis, and the average assets of candidates is worth Rs 4.71 crore.Voting for 119 assembly constituencies of Telangana will take place in a single phase on November 30.
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